State-of-the-Art Pedestrian and Evacuation Dynamics

Abstract

This paper provides a critical review on the state-of-the-art pedestrian and evacuation dynamics so as to comprehensively comprehend the motion behaviors of pedestrians from observations to simulation aspects. Types of typical data collection methods, namely the field survey, the controlled experiment, and the animal experiment, are classified, and the connections and differences of these three observation methods are explored. Pedestrians’ complex behaviors characterized by the self-organization phenomena and movement data characterized by the fundamental diagram are then studied after the data collections, which can be used to calibrate and validate the pedestrian models. The mathematical models for pedestrian dynamics from both tactical level and operational level are also highlighted. The simulation data produced by the mathematical models could further reproduce pedestrian behaviors during the observations and contribute to decision makings for improving the evacuation efficiency. The applications of pedestrian models for behavior analysis, evacuation simulation, and layout design are also presented. Some challenges and future directions in the pedestrian and evacuation dynamics are also put forward. Findings presented in this study are helpful for researchers who want to understand the pedestrian and evacuation dynamics and to perform further research in this field.