Effects of Boundary Conditions on Single-File Pedestrian Flow

TL;DR

This study examines how boundary conditions influence one-dimensional pedestrian flow, revealing that open boundaries reduce stop-and-go waves and increase maximal flow compared to closed boundaries.

Contribution

It provides a detailed comparison of pedestrian flow under open and closed boundary conditions using Voronoi-based measurements, highlighting the impact on flow dynamics.

Findings

Stop-and-go waves occur under closed boundaries but not open boundaries.

Open boundaries lead to higher maximal specific flow.

Voronoi-based measurement effectively captures flow differences.

Abstract

In this paper we investigate effects of boundary conditions on one dimensional pedestrian flow which involves purely longitudinal interactions. Qualitatively, stop-and-go waves are observed under closed boundary condition and dissolve when the boundary is open. To get more detailed information the fundamental diagrams of the open and closed systems are compared using Voronoi-based measurement method. Higher maximal specific flow is observed from the pedestrian movement at open boundary condition.