The impact of different obstacles on crowd dynamics

Abstract

Modification of space through the installation of obstacles is one way to control the flow of human crowds. Carefully placed obstacles coupled with existing architectural structures can be used to improve crowd safety at mass gatherings. Although this concept is well understood in the field of crowd dynamics, a systematic approach geared towards understanding how different types and shapes of obstacles affect pedestrian movement remains lacking in literature. In this study, we introduce obstacles that are built from different combinations of columns and barriers and show how they influence pedestrian movement. We compare pedestrian dynamics on four base scenarios of crowd interactions namely: unidirectional, bidirectional, merging, and intersecting, and three shape areas: straight corridor, T-junction and an intersection. In order to make sense of these base cases in the context of real-world spaces, we examine the base cases in the context of the Mahakal Temple, the main venue where a huge number of pilgrims gather annually for the Kumbh Mela Festival in India. We look at how the presence of different obstacles affect pedestrian dynamics. Using the PULSE simulation environment, we show that it is possible to enhance pedestrian flow by using a line of barriers, a column, and sometimes even by narrowing the space of movement in corridors, corners, intersections, and t-junctions, while zigzag obstacles, on the other hand, reduces pedestrian velocity. Therefore, installing obstacles should be done with careful considerations and may only work in specific cases. Our results provide ways to better understand pedestrian dynamics in the presence of obstacles and based on this it may be possible to design better layouts to improve safety and flow at mass gatherings.