Crowd Dynamics Simulation Research

This paper reports on research aimed at providing a more realistic simulation model of crowd behavior under both panic and non-panic conditions by modifying the Helbing-Molnar-Farkas-Vicsek (HMFV) model. Such simulations will be of great value both in operational and training contexts. Many operations deal with crowd control and accurate simulations of crowd dynamics. The approach is based on a Social Force Model which consists of two components: social interaction and physical interaction. The social interaction relies on an individual’s desire for personal space and the physical interaction consists of body compression and friction. Ongoing research is aimed at the explicit incorporation of gender, ethnicity, age, and cultural differences as factors in the model to ensure broad applicability of the research to crowd control in nations other than the U.S.