Lane formation in an active particle model with chirality for pedestrian traffic

TL;DR

This paper investigates how chirality influences lane formation in pedestrian traffic using active particle simulations, revealing phase transitions and providing a theoretical framework aligned with experimental observations.

Contribution

It introduces a chiral force into the social force model and analyzes phase transitions in pedestrian lane formation through simulations and theory.

Findings

Identification of two phase transitions in pedestrian flow

Development of a qualitative theory for phase boundaries

Good agreement between simulations, theory, and experimental data

Abstract

We analyze the pattern formation in systems of active particles with chiral forces in the context of pedestrian dynamics. To describe the interparticle interactions, we use the standard social force model and supplement it with a new type of force that reflects chirality. We perform numerical simulations of two pedestrian flows moving in opposite directions along a corridor. We observe two dynamic phase transitions that occur for varying number densities of particles and strengths of the chirality force: one from disordered motion to multi-lane motion and another from multi-lane to two-lane motion. We develop a qualitative theory that describes the demarcation lines for these phase transitions in the phase diagram chirality-density. The results of our analysis agree fairly well with the simulation data. A comparison with previously reported experimental data has been provided. Our findings may find applications in urban and transportation-planning problems.