Exploring Crowd Management and Evacuation Strategies using Microscopic Pedestrian Simulation: A Case Study of Souq Waqif
Author | Mohammed, Shabna Sayed |
Author | Dias, Charitha |
Author | Alhajyaseen, Wael |
Author | Alqaradawi, Mohammed Yousef |
Available date | 2023-08-21T11:24:45Z |
Publication Date | 2023-02 |
Publication Name | The 2nd International Conference on Civil Infrastructure and Construction (CIC 2023) |
Identifier | http://dx.doi.org/10.29117/cic.2023.0130 |
Citation | Sayedmohammed S., Dias C., Alhajyaseen W. & Alqaradawi M., “Exploring Crowd Management and Evacuation Strategies using Microscopic Pedestrian Simulation: A Case Study of Souq Waqif”, The 2nd International Conference on Civil Infrastructure and Construction (CIC 2023), Doha, Qatar, 5-8 February 2023, DOI: https://doi.org/10.29117/cic.2023.0130 |
ISSN | 2958-3128 |
Abstract | Safe egress plans are critical for crowd evacuation at touristic attractions, particularly during special events, as visitors are often unaware of their options. Identification of bottlenecks in the walking spaces are vital for the development of safe and efficient crowd management and evacuation plans. This paper aims to explore crowd management and evacuation strategies for pedestrian egress flow in Souq Waqif, which is a famous touristic attraction in Doha, under varying crowd demand conditions. PTV Viswalk pedestrian simulation tool was used to evaluate crowd evacuation strategies and identify potential bottlenecks during the egress of crowds. Several guided and unguided evacuation scenarios were developed to understand the egress patterns to the allocated assembly areas inside the Souq. The crowd demands and densities were estimated using publicly available data. Eight major locations were identified as the bottleneck during the simulation. Simulation outcomes highlighted that the current evacuation plans and assembly locations are inadequate in providing safe evacuation routes. However, guided scenarios reduced evacuation times considerably when compared to unguided scenarios, particularly when the demand is high. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted to identify the effect of variations in walking behavior parameters in the simulation model. Variations in the walking behavior parameters changed the evacuation times considerably. Thus, proper calibration of walking behavior parameters considering local conditions could improve simulation accuracy. This study helps to identify probable bottlenecks and their characteristics that could help policymakers to assess the effectiveness of evacuation plans and crowd management strategies for crowd safety. |
Language | en |
Publisher | Qatar University Press |
Subject | Crowd management Simulation Pedestrian safety Crowd evacuation Historical sites |
Type | Conference Paper |
Pagination | 1032-1041 |
ESSN | 2958-3136 |
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Civil & Architectural Engineering [777 items ]
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Theme 3: Sustainable Architecture and Urban Planning for Society Wellbeing [32 items ]
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Traffic Safety [163 items ]