Experimental study on the synchronization mechanism and trigger characteristic density of vertical evacuation in crowds

• Published in: Scientific reports 2024-10, Vol.14 (1), p.26182-19, Article 26182
• Main Authors: Zhang, Longmei, Wu, Xin, Lin, Huali, Zhang, Man, Liu, Yonghong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 639/166/986; 639/766/747; Crowd dynamics; Evacuation guidance; Humanities and Social Sciences; multidisciplinary; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Single-file vertical evacuation experiment; Synchronization coordination mechanism
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-77726-7

Due to simultaneous horizontal and vertical displacement during vertical evacuation, the consequences of stampede congestion accidents can be more severe. Generally, pedestrians trigger a synchronization mechanism at some point during the vertical evacuation process. This synchronization behavior helps prevent stampede congestion and improves evacuation efficiency. This paper designs a well-controlled single-file vertical evacuation experiment. After the experiment, the video footage is imported into the TRACKER system to extract the coordinates of pedestrian step movements, after which the experimental data undergo calculations and visual analysis. The research findings indicate the following: Firstly, when the crowd coordinates trigger the synchronization mechanism, this behavior remains stable as long as pedestrian speed and direction are unchanged; Secondly, the variation in footstep speed over time is not directly related to the footstep synchronization rate of the crowd; Lastly, this study calculated the characteristic density value most likely to trigger the synchronization mechanism during vertical evacuation. This research deepens our understanding of crowd dynamics, reveals the characteristics of pedestrian movement during vertical evacuation, and proposes evacuation guidance strategies based on these features.