It is suggested that the motion of pedestrians can be described as if they would subject to ``social forces.'' These ``forces'' are not directly exerted by pedestrians' personal environment, but a measure for internal motivations individuals perform certain actions (movements). The corresponding force concept discussed in more detail and also applied description other behaviors. In presented model pedestrian behavior several terms essential: first, term describing acceleration towards...

We present data from several German freeways showing different kinds of congested traffic forming near road inhomogeneities, specifically lane closings, intersections, or uphill gradients. The states are localized extended, homogeneous oscillating. Combined observed as well, like the coexistence moving clusters and pinned at regions oscillating upstream nearly traffic. experimental findings consistent with a recently proposed theoretical phase diagram for on-ramps [D. Helbing, A. Hennecke,...

Since the subject of traffic dynamics has captured interest physicists, many astonishing effects have been revealed and explained. Some questions now understood are following: Why vehicles sometimes stopped by so-called ``phantom jams'', although they all like to drive fast? What mechanisms behind stop-and-go traffic? there several different kinds congestion, how related? do most jams occur considerably before road capacity is reached? Can a temporary reduction volume cause lasting jam?...

Humanity has just crossed a major landmark in its history with the majority of people now living cities. Cities have long been known to be society's predominant engine innovation and wealth creation, yet they are also main source crime, pollution, disease. The inexorable trend toward urbanization worldwide presents an urgent challenge for developing predictive, quantitative theory urban organization sustainable development. Here we present empirical evidence indicating that processes...

To test simulation models of pedestrian flows, we have performed experiments for corridors, bottleneck areas, and intersections. Our evaluations video recordings show that the geometric boundary conditions are not only relevant capacity elements facilities, they also influence time gap distribution pedestrians, indicating existence self-organization phenomena. After calibration suitable models, these findings can be used to improve design facilities egress routes. It turns out “obstacles”...

The global spread of epidemics, rumors, opinions, and innovations are complex, network-driven dynamic processes. combined multiscale nature intrinsic heterogeneity the underlying networks make it difficult to develop an intuitive understanding these processes, distinguish relevant from peripheral factors, predict their time course, locate origin. However, we show that complex spatiotemporal patterns can be reduced surprisingly simple, homogeneous wave propagation patterns, if conventional...

Floating car data of car-following behavior in cities were compared to existing microsimulation models, after their parameters had been calibrated the experimental data. With these parameter values, additional simulations have carried out, e.g., a moving which approaches stopped car. It turned out that, order manage such kinds situations without producing accidents, improved traffic models are needed. Good results obtained with proposed generalized force model.

A general model (minimizing overall braking induced by lane change, MOBIL) is proposed to derive lane-changing rules for discretionary and mandatory changes a wide class of car-following models. Both the utility given risk associated with are determined in terms longitudinal accelerations calculated microscopic traffic This determination allows formulation compact safety incentive criteria both symmetric asymmetric passing rules. Moreover, anticipative elements crucial influence velocity...

With the increasing size and frequency of mass events, study crowd disasters simulation pedestrian flows have become important research areas. However, even successful modeling approaches such as those inspired by Newtonian force models are still not fully consistent with empirical observations sometimes hard to calibrate. Here, a cognitive science approach is proposed, which based on behavioral heuristics. We suggest that, guided visual information, namely distance obstructions in candidate...

Many observations of the dynamics pedestrian crowds, including various self-organization phenomena, have been successfully described by simple many-particle models. For ethical reasons, however, there is a serious lack experimental data regarding crowd panic. Therefore, we analyzed video recordings disaster in Mina/Makkah during Hajj 1426H on 12 January 2006. They reveal two subsequent, sudden transitions from laminar to stop-and-go and "turbulent" flows, which question many previous...

Human crowd motion is mainly driven by self-organized processes based on local interactions among pedestrians. While most studies of behaviour consider only isolated individuals, it turns out that up to 70% people in a are actually moving groups, such as friends, couples, or families walking together. These groups constitute medium-scale aggregated structures and their impact dynamics still largely unknown. In this work, we analyze the approximately 1500 pedestrian under natural condition,...

Social groups can be remarkably smart and knowledgeable when their averaged judgements are compared with the of individuals. Already Galton [Galton F (1907) Nature 75:7] found evidence that median estimate a group more accurate than estimates experts. This wisdom crowd effect was recently supported by examples from stock markets, political elections, quiz shows [Surowiecki J (2004) The Wisdom Crowds ]. In contrast, we demonstrate experimental ( N = 144) even mild social influence undermine...

Although pedestrians have individual preferences, aims, and destinations, the dynamics of pedestrian crowds is surprisingly predictable. Pedestrians can move freely only at small densities. Otherwise their motion affected by repulsive interactions with other pedestrians, giving rise to self-organization phenomena. Examples resulting patterns are separate lanes uniform walking direction in oppositely moving or oscillations passing bottlenecks. If leave footprints on deformable ground (for...

We discuss models and data of crowd disasters, crime, terrorism, war disease spreading to show that conventional recipes, such as deterrence strategies, are often not effective sufficient contain them. Many common approaches do provide a good picture the actual system behavior, because they neglect feedback loops, instabilities cascade effects. The complex counter-intuitive behavior social systems their macro-level collective dynamics can be better understood by means complexity science....

With an increasing number of vehicles equipped with adaptive cruise control (ACC), the impact such on collective dynamics traffic flow becomes relevant. By means simulation, we investigate influence variable percentages ACC characteristics. For simulating vehicles, propose a new car-following model that also serves as basis implementation in real cars. The is based Intelligent Driver Model [Treiber et al., Physical Review E 62, 1805 (2000)] and inherits its intuitive behavioural parameters:...

We investigate a simple model corresponding to particles driven in opposite directions and interacting via repulsive potential. The move off-lattice on periodic strip are subject random forces as well. show that this model-which can be considered continuum version of some diffusive systems-exhibits paradoxical, new kind transition called here "freezing by heating." One interesting feature is crystallized state with higher total energy obtained from fluid increasing the amount fluctuations.

Based on suitable video recordings of interactive pedestrian motion and improved tracking software, we apply an evolutionary optimization algorithm to determine optimal parameter specifications for the social force model. The calibrated model is then used large-scale simulations evacuation scenarios, pilgrimage, urban environments.

According to Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan [1651; 2008 (Touchstone, New York), English Ed], "the life of man [is] solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short," it would need powerful social institutions establish order. In reality, however, cooperation can also arise spontaneously, based on local interactions rather than centralized control. The self-organization cooperative behavior is particularly puzzling for dilemmas related sharing natural resources or creating common goods. Such situations...