The role of panic in the room evacuation process

Abstract

In the present work we studied the room evacuation problem using the social force model introduced by Helbing and coworkers. The "faster is slower" effect induced by panic was analyzed. It could be explained in terms of increasing mean clogging delays which shows a strong correlation with certain structures that we call "blocking clusters". Also a steady state version of the problem was implemented. It shows that, from a macroscopic point of view, the optimal evacuation efficiency correspond to the state at which the difference between the system desire force minus the system granular force is maximum.