Comparison study in single-file pedestrian flow dynamics: Foot motion perspective versus head motion perspective

In this study, we experimentally investigate single-file pedestrian flow dynamics from the perspective of pedestrian foot motion. We first measure the density and velocity of pedestrians, fundamental diagram and time-space diagram, through the center of pedestrian's both feet and compare the results with those measured through the center of pedestrian's head. The comparison results indicate that there are some differences between the velocity, fundamental diagram, and time-space diagram measured through pedestrian foot and those measured through pedestrian head. In particular, the velocity measured through pedestrian foot displays more complex variation than that measured through pedestrian head. Moreover, the velocity evolution of pedestrians observed from the perspective of pedestrian foot exhibits a strongly wave-shaped pattern. This property cannot be clearly captured through pedestrian head. Then, we investigate the pedestrian flow characteristics related to footsteps (including, step length, step velocity, and step frequency characteristics). The results reveal the existence of approximately piecewise linear behavior in the step length-headway, step velocity-headway, and step frequency-headway relationships. Our study provides some new insights into pedestrian dynamics.(c) 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.