Figure 10: The relationship between walking velocity and inter-person distance
The walking velocity for a person is dependant on the forward linear distance (proximity) to people ahead. One person in front of another will reduce the velocity for the person in question, as shown in the Figure 10. Inter-person distance is defined (in this case) as the distance between the centres of the bodies of two people.
The velocity in stairs is reduced compared to the velocity for horizontal surfaces. The velocity descending a stair will be 0.5 times the horizontal velocity. Ascending a stair will take place with a velocity of 0.35 times the horizontal velocity. The normal unimpeded walking velocity for each person will be randomly chosen in the interval between 0.8 - 1.7 m/s.
