Modeling area-based walking behavior

In their attributes, you can assign the following objects an area-based walking behavior:

• For elevators: area-based behavior in an elevator car and area-based behavior that sets in when the elevator car of defined elevator groups is exited (Attributes of elevator groups)
• Areas (Attributes of areas)
• Ramps & Stairs (Attributes of ramps and stairs, moving walkways and escalators)

A walking behavior type consists of (Defining walking behavior):

• desired speed that you assign with the pedestrian compositions
• parameters for the model of pedestrian dynamics, which you assign to the walking behavior and that are assigned to the pedestrian type

An area behavior type consists of (Defining area behavior types):

• one or more types of walking behavior
• the assigned pedestrian class per walking behavior
• the time interval
• the desired speed distribution

Consideration of walking behavior and area behavior types for overlapping network objects

If overlapping areas, ramps or pedestrian links are assigned different area behavior types with different walking behaviors, the following criteria in the specified order determine the walking behavior from which network object affects the pedestrian:

1.  The area, ramp or pedestrian link with the greater z position (tolerance 1 mm). The z-position is composed of the z-coordinate of the level and the z-offset of the network object. For ramps that run between levels, the z-position depends on the geometry of the ramp and the position of the pedestrian.

2.  The area, ramp or pedestrian link that modify the current walking behavior by an area behavior type or a desired speed factor. This is always the case for ramps.

3.  Areas with a smaller 2D-surface area.

4.  Pedestrian links are preferred over pedestrian areas. Pedestrian areas are preferred over ramps.

5.  The object with the smaller number.

Walking behavior on overlapping areas

• If a pedestrian is at a position where two areas overlap, each of which has a walking behavior allocated to it, the walking behavior of the smaller area takes effect. This area can be identified in the Pedestrians In Network list by Construction element number and Construction element type attributes (Showing pedestrians in the network in a list).
• If a pedestrian is located at a position where two areas overlap and a pedestrian attribute decision with a decision model Every time step takes effect, both pedestrian attribute decisions are executed (Using pedestrian attribute decisions), (Defining pedestrian attribute decisions). The pedestrian attribute decisions with the smaller number are considered first.

• If a pedestrian enters an area that completely encloses another area and a walking behavior is selected for both areas, the walking behavior of the enclosing area takes effect. As soon as the pedestrian enters the enclosed area, its walking behavior takes effect. As soon as the pedestrian leaves the enclosed area and re-enters the enclosing area, its walking behavior takes effect. You can change this behavior by selecting the pedestrian attribute decision Delete walking behavior when leaving:
• Effect of pedestrian attribute decision Delete walking behavior when leaving, when one area encloses another area and the following situation occurs: One area can completely enclose another area, and the following two pedestrian attribute decisions are defined for both areas:

• Set walking behavior when entering
• Delete walking behavior when leaving

If the pedestrian first enters the enclosing area and then the enclosed area, the pedestrian attribute decision Delete walking behavior when leaving deletes any walking behavior, as soon as the pedestrian subsequently leaves the enclosed area and returns to the enclosing area. In this area, the pedestrian attribute decision Set walking behavior when entering no longer applies when entering, i.e., no more walking behavior.

This shows that the decision model values for Entering and Leaving do not depend on the values of the pedestrian attributes Construction element number and Construction element type, but rather on the geometry in which the network objects are placed in relation to each other in the Network Editor. Make use of this difference when one or the other behavior is specifically desired.