Crowd turbulence: the physics of crowd disasters

TL;DR

This paper investigates the physical dynamics of crowd disasters, revealing how high-density crowds can become turbulent and erupt violently, akin to earthquakes, making them difficult to control and prevent during mass gatherings.

Contribution

It introduces a physics-based analysis of crowd turbulence, providing new insights into the mechanisms behind crowd disasters and their uncontrollable nature.

Findings

High-density crowds exhibit turbulent, earthquake-like eruptions.

Crowd turbulence is a physical phenomenon difficult to control.

Video analysis of Makkah pilgrimage reveals these dynamics.

Abstract

The panic stampede is a serious concern during mass events like soccer championship games. Despite huge numbers of security forces and crowd control measures, hundreds of lives are lost in crowd disasters each year. An analysis of video recordings of the annual pilgrimage in Makkah reveals how high-density crowds develop to turbulent dynamics and earthquake-like eruptions, which is impossible to control.