WP-I3: Further development of the multi-agent system module: intelligent routing and human behaviour, evacuation simulations, and interface to MATSim for agent-based vehicle emissions

Goals of the project:

A multi-agent system (MAS) for pedestrians in urban environments was developed within the first funding phase of MOSAIK. Within the work package WP-I3.1 it will be combined with a vehicle-agent system (VAS) to simulate vehicles and their emissions in a more explicit way. In a first step the VAS will be coupled to the external agent system MATSim (WP-I2) and will receive information about movement patterns and emission rates (point sources). In the second step the VAS will be coupled directly to the street network withing PALM-4U and will allow an autonomous (i.e. independent from MATSim) routing considering the street network to be able to conduct idealised simulations of traffic emissions (e.g. for different variations of the vehicle fleet within an urban canyon using standard emission rates). In the medium term it is planned to couple the developed VAS to a vehicle model so that the traffic induced turbulence can be taken over by the model. The development of the vehicle model is part of a current DFG research project (MA 6383/3-1), therefore synergy effects can be expected during the upcoming 2-3 years.

The main task of WP-I3.2 is the coupling of the MAS to the street network, based on OpenStreetMaps?, which has already been implemented in PALM-4U for the demonstration cities (Berlin, Hamburg, Stuttgart) and is currently in use for default traffic emissions. The concept of „social forces“, which is used for the MAS, will be further developed for the application on streets. Streets – depending on their classification – serve as a repelling force onto the agents. By doing so they are forced in the nominal case to move on the side walks. Information from OpenStreetMaps? regarding pedestrian crossings and traffic lights will be used to define permeable areas where agents can cross the streets.

In WP-I3.3 the MAS will be extended in regards to includ demographic data. This affects in particular the walking speed. Demographic input data and movement patterns (shaped as start target matrices) for the entire Population of Berlin and Stuttgart will be provided by MATSim (WP-I2) and serve as input data for MAS. Test simulations for a heat wave scenario will be conducted and biometerorological parameters for individual agents will be calculated and analysed to filter out the demographic effect on these parameters. The final version of the MAS will be provided to the partners of module C for operational applications.

The individual exposure of agents to air-borne pollutants will be added to the MAS in collaboration with WP-I1. Concludingly the MAS will be applied to different test cases in so-called emergency scenarios. Here, the MAS will be used in reversed mode, i.e. the agents are escaping on the fastest way from a defined hazard (fire, explosion, toxic pollutant source). PALM-4U will provide the wind field and therefore the dispersion of toxic material which can affect the agents on their escape route from the hazard source. At the same time the agents will be influenced by social forces (e.g. slower walking speed due to high agent density); and might be exposed to the pollutants. These simulations have a very practical character as existing escape route concepts in cities can be evaluated and improved, for example for sports or large concert events. The applicability will be evaluated in addition with external partners from module B (Prof. Ament, Prof. Leitl, University of Hamburg).

Tasks of the project:

WP-I3.1: Development of VAS system and coupling to MATSim

WP-I3.2: Coupling of the MAS to the street network

WP-I3.3: Adding demographic data and movement patterns

WP-I3.4: Coupling to chemisry and emergency simulations

Projekt structure:

This work package will be conducted in close cooperation with TU Berlin (Prof. Kai Nagel).

Deliverables:

DL1 (month 12): VAS component is implemented and coupled to MATSim output data

DL2 (month 21): MAS is coupled to street network

DL3 (month 27): MAS is ready for application by Module C partners for democities

DL4 (month 29): Pollutant expose of agents is implemented

DL5 (month 36): Emergency simulations were performed

Progress so far:

Dr. Ion Matei will be employed as project scientist starting from 1st April 2020

References:

Hershberger, J., Snoeyink, J., 1994. An O(nlogn) implementation of the Douglas-Peucker algorithm for line simplification, SCG '94 Proceedings of the tenth annual symposium on Computational geometry, 383-384.

Helbing, D., Molnar, P., 1995, Social force model for pedestrian dynamics. Physical review E, 51(5), 4282.

Karamouzas, I., Skinner, B., Guy, S.J., 2014, Universal Power Law Governing Pedestrian Interactions, Physical Review Letters, 113, 238701.

Contacts:

maronga[at]muk.uni-hannover.de

raasch[at]muk.uni-hannover.de

matei[at]muk.uni-hannover.de