Fundamental Diagrams for Pedestrian Networks

Abstract

This paper explores the concept of the Network Fundamental Diagram for two-dimensional pedestrian networks. In doing so, we investigate if the average performance of the network can be described as a function of the average density or accumulation of the network, in line with recent findings on discrete vehicular traffic networks. We show that this is indeed the case, by considering data from walking experiments and from simulation using a microscopic pedestrian model. It turns out that the shape of the diagram is determined by a number of factors, such as the shape and size of the area, its use and its function, and the composition of the pedestrian flow. Finally, we propose several applications of the diagram for pedestrian networks.