A stranded-crowd model (SCM) for performance-based design of stadium egress

Stadium disasters statistic analysis indicated that egress congestion is the major cause of crowd stampede trampling and crushing incidents. In this paper a stranded-crowd model (SCM) for stadium egress is put forward with previous works. The empirical relation between density and velocity of crowd movement have been summarized, and then the crowd-flow rate as a function of density deduced. The paper presents experimental results for this model tinder emergency conditions and discusses the following observations: the data show egress stranded number of crowd for different time ranges and various relations of flow rate and density can be calculated-, furthermore, comparing the results of different egress width with the same formula for the movement in a stadium straight passage. This comparison shows an unexpected conformance between the egress width and stranded number of panic crowd. Based on the results, SCM shows great value in dealing with stadium, especially 2008 Beijing Olympic stadium, egress performance design, selecting and optimizing of routes and so on. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.