Dynamic potential use cases

The dynamic potential is limited to the level, ramp or stairway you have specified it for. The dynamic potential method cannot be applied to multiple levels and is not meant to find the fastest route across multiple levels. This is where you use partial routes (Modeling partial routes for pedestrians).

Using dynamic potential or travel time based partial routes for a level

There are many use cases where you can apply both methods. Experience has shown that in some cases partial routes may be the better method, whereas in other cases dynamic potential should be preferred. There are use cases for which both methods lead equally to the results desired and others in which neither do.

• When modeling scenarios, partial routes can be used for discrete choices. Partial routes are discrete, whereas the dynamic potential is continuous in several respects.
• When modeling continuous choices, you should opt for the dynamic potential method.
• The dynamic potential supports lane formation in pedestrian flows, in particular on ramps.

Example:

You are modeling a large number of pedestrians at, for example, a 90° corner, using the dynamic potential method. If there are also several service points in the corner, the selected quantity becomes discrete. For these routes, you can use partial routes because the distance from the starting point to the individual service points is different.

Modeling effort and computation time

In general, there is less modeling effort required for the dynamic potential method than for partial routes. Even so, you should avoid modeling use cases with the dynamic potential method that are better suited for the partial routes method. In spite of the higher modeling effort required for partial routes, by default the simulation speed is faster than when you apply the dynamic potential method.