Modification of the Decision-Making Capability in the Social Force Model for the Evacuation Process

Abstract

The Social Force Model is one of the most successful microscopic pedestrian models that represent the well-organized phenomena of the pedestrian flow. The model has been modified for evacuation process by incorporating physical forces when contact exists, on one hand, and incorporating factors into the preferred velocity to govern the individual's behavior corresponding to the situation under consideration (normal or evacuation) on the other hand. The latter incorporation has enhanced the ability of the model to represent the decision-making process of pedestrians. However, the variety of pedestrian's abilities to make decisions in emergency situations has not been incorporated properly into the model. In this article we enhance the decision-making capability of the independent pedestrians first by improving the assessment process of selecting an exit from the set of exits available in the physical environment by considering a new factor (crowd at exits); and second, by incorporating following crowds as a new feature for those who are independent. A simulation of an emergency situation inside a room is performed to validate our work.