Route choice in the pedestrian evacuation: Microscopic formulation based on visual information

A pedestrian's visual field constantly changes as they move around a room containing structural components or large furniture, which can block the pedestrian from perceiving visual information. Changes in position simultaneously update optional route sets and the perception of how crowded these paths are. In this study, a microscopic pedestrian-simulation model with continuous-space representation is developed to investigate the route-choice behavior of pedestrians in a space where obstacles block the visual field. Instead of potential-based navigation, the desired direction of pedestrians during the motion is expressed by an oriented network and delivered to the navigation layer: an optimal reciprocal collision avoidance (ORCA) system, which models pedestrians' local maneuvers and movement decisions in detail. We quantify the characteristics of the model by comparing the model results with two groups of experiments conducted under conditions of good, limited, and zero visibility. The performance results with two different layouts are compared through numerical simulation, illustrating the model's capability to accurately represent the observed crowd dynamics in the facility. Results from the sensitivity analysis and simulation scenario can benefit the evacuation guidance arrangement and internal component design in large public spaces. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.