Simulation of Pedestrian Crossing Behaviors at Unmarked Roadways Based on Social Force Model

Abstract

Limited pedestrian microcosmic simulation models focus on the interactions between pedestrians and vehicles at unmarked roadways. Pedestrians tend to head to the destinations directly through the shortest path. So, pedestrians have inclined trajectories pointing destinations. Few simulation models have been established to describe the mechanisms underlying the inclined trajectories when pedestrians cross unmarked roadways. To overcome these shortcomings, achieve solutions for optimal design features before implementation, and help to make the design more rational, the paper establishes a modified social force model for interactions between pedestrians and vehicles at unmarked roadways. To achieve this goal, stop/go decision-making model based on gap acceptance theory and conflict avoidance models were developed to make social force model more appropriate in simulating pedestrian crossing behaviors at unmarked roadways. The extended model enables the understanding and judgment ability of pedestrians about the traffic environment and guides pedestrians to take the best behavior to avoid conflict and keep themselves safe. The comparison results of observed pedestrians' trajectories and simulated pedestrians' trajectories at one unmarked roadway indicate that the proposed model can be used to simulate pedestrian crossing behaviors at unmarked roadways effectively. The proposed model can be used to explore pedestrians' trajectories variation at unmarked roadways and improve pedestrian safety facilities.

A Collision Avoidance Strategy Based on Entropy-Increasing Risk Perception in a Vehicle–Pedestrian-Integrated Reaction Space

“…Combining the results in [48] with the simulation of pedestrian gait, motion scene analysis, and the laws of mechanics, the following expression can be derived:…”

Interaction-Aware Decision-Making for Automated Vehicles Using Social Value Orientation

“…This model was originally designed for simulating crowd dynamics but has been extended with the effect of vehicles on pedestrians [36], [37], which makes them suitable for mixed scenarios containing both vehicles and pedestrians. Existing works [38], [39] in pedestrian simulation combined social force models with a rule based approach for pedestrian crossing simulation. These models however mainly focus on situations in which pedestrians are in front of the vehicle.…”

Design Factors and Criteria for Building a Non-Level Pedestrian Crossing at an Urban Campus

“…Several studies have taken a more user-based experience approach in planning pedestrian facilities [6][7][8]. Pedestrian crossing typologies can be categorized into: (1) non-level (footbridges and underpass); and (2) at-level (pedestrian crossing with/without signalling).…”

“…In contrast to Cadena [3] and Agrawal [7] found that routes and shortest distances and safe crossings were the main concern of pedestrians, while aesthetic aspects and visual attractions in the surrounding environment were considered not critical factors. In the context of unmarked road pedestrian crossing, the shortest route itself is influenced by conflictavoidance movement with passing vehicles and stop-and-go motions that resulted in a slightly inclined trajectory of the crossing route [8]. Research that identifies movement patterns and preferences of pedestrians in an urban campus environment as a design foundation has never been done before.…”