Collective motion of oscillatory walkers

Abstract

We study a system of interacting self-propelled particles whose walking velocity depends on the stage of the locomotion cycle. The model introduces a phase equation in the optimal velocity model for vehicular traffic. We find that the system exhibits novel types of flow: synchronized free flow, phase-anchoring free flow, orderly jam flow, and disordered jam flow. The first two flows are characterized by synchronization of the phase, while the others do not have the global synchronization. Among these, the disordered jam flow is very complex, although the underlying model is simple. This phenomenon implies that the crowd behavior of moving particles can be destabilized by coupling their velocity to the phase of their motion. We also focus on "phaseanchoring" phenomena. They strongly affect particle flow in the system, especially when the density of particles is high.

Agent-based Approach and Cellular Automata --- a Promising Perspective in Crowd Dynamics Modeling?

“…Ezaki et al [16] proposed the application of the proxemic floor field as a mechanism of acquisition of space that allows reliable simulation of inflow scenario. In another paper, they applied this model for detailed evacuation analysis [17] and investigation of phase transition from free flow to congestion.…”