A minor modification in the model for describing congestion and recovery along evacuation paths

Abstract

In an emergency evacuation, evacuation paths are often prone to congestion, possibly resulting in congestion and stampede accidents. From the viewpoint of crowd behavior, relations between crowd density and pedestrian speed and between crowd density and the crowd flow rate are established, and crowd movement along evacuation paths is analyzed. A basic model of crowd movement along evacuation paths is developed and allows detailed analysis of the effect of the initial crowd density on congestion. Finally, the relationship between crowd congestion density and speed of recovery and a method of calculating the time of congestion disappearance are presented. This research will assist on-site management in preventing possible crushing and stampede accidents during large-scale social activities.