Abstract
Minimizing all aspects of COVID-19 exposure is a high priority as universities prepare to reopen. One of those aspects includes developing protocols for interior spaces such as academic buildings. This paper applies mathematical modeling to investigate different virus exposure levels due to traffic patterns within academic buildings. The assumption used are: 1) Risk of infection is a product of exposure rate and time and 2) the exposure rate decreases with distance. One-way vs. two-way pedestrian traffic scenarios within hallways were modeled and analyzed for various configurations. The underlying assumption that a small exposure to a large number of people is similar to a large exposure to a few people is the driver to minimize exposures levels in all aspects. The analysis indicates that minimizing the time spent in passing between classes is the driving factor in minimizing risk, and one-way traffic may increase the time required to pass between classes. While the case presented is limited, the modeled approaches are intended to provoke future research that can be extended and applied to larger populations to help provide decision makers with more rigorous tools to shape future policies regarding traffic flow within buildings.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
