AnyLogic 9
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Network nodes in pedestrian models

Network nodes are used to graphically define the following things in pedestrian dynamics models:

  • A location where pedestrians appear in the simulated space (referenced by PedSource or PedEnter).
  • The destination of the pedestrian movement (referenced by PedGoTo).
  • The location where pedestrians wait waiting location (referenced by PedWait).

You can also use an area to define:

  • A place with a different pedestrian speed.
  • A place with restricted access: by throughput, condition, and so on. For example, this may be needed to model a revolving door.
Demo model: Areas with Restrictions for Pedestrians Open the model page in AnyLogic Cloud. There you can run the model or download it (by clicking Model source files). Demo model: Areas with Restrictions for PedestriansOpen the model in your AnyLogic desktop installation.

Pedestrian Library works with the following two network nodes:

Use Polygonal node when your area has a complex shape. If your area is rectangular, use Rectangular node instead.

You can make the area sloped, for example, to model stairs. See the following demo model:

Demo model: Stairs Open the model page in AnyLogic Cloud. There you can run the model or download it (by clicking Model source files). Demo model: StairsOpen the model in your AnyLogic desktop installation.

Speed and access restrictions for pedestrians

Pedestrians will try to avoid closed nodes (if the Avoid area if closed option is selected in the node’s properties), as long as they have another route option. They perceive the changes in node state (closed/open) and can recalculate their route accordingly. When they encounter a closed node, they treat it as an obstacle, just as they treat walls and space markup elements of the Material Handling Library.

When a restricted node and service lines overlap, pedestrians will choose the line that is not restricted by the closed node.

When a route is created for a pedestrian group, all members of the group receive the same general instructions on how to handle restricted nodes. If access to the node is restricted by a condition, that condition is calculated once for the whole group at the start of the movement: either all members of the group will wait for the node to open, or all bypass the node. However, each member of the group would be handled individually when they reach the node boundary and try to enter the node: at this moment, the condition for entering is checked for each member of the pedestrian group.

To avoid situations where agents may remain in the queue indefinitely, we recommend that groups be disassembled they have to pass through such nodes, and reassembled afterward.

Exceptions

Access restrictions do not apply to pedestrians that appear inside the restricted nodes, such as:

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