A Brief Review of Integrating Psychological Factors in Discrete Element Method for Pedestrian Evacuation Research

Pedestrian evacuation is critical to safety management in various environments, including buildings, stadiums, transportation hubs, and public spaces. Understanding the dynamics of pedestrian movements in evacuation scenarios is crucial for designing effective evacuation strategies. The Discrete Element Method (DEM) has emerged as a powerful tool for simulating and analyzing pedestrian behavior and movement patterns in recent years. This review article aims to provide an overview of the application of DEMs in pedestrian evacuation research, specifically focusing on studies that incorporate the psychological and social norms affecting pedestrians. This study discusses and evaluates the variations in pedestrian psychosocial exploitation algorithms and force calculations in recent DEM models. By examining these differences, researchers can gain insight into the strengths and limitations of various approaches and choose the most suitable model for their specific research needs. Additionally, this article addresses the challenges and future directions in pedestrian evacuation research using DEM. This emphasizes the significance of validation, scalability, and computational efficiency in ensuring the reliability and practicality of DEM-based models. By addressing these challenges, researchers can develop more robust and accurate simulations, enhance their understanding of pedestrian evacuation dynamics, and develop comprehensive and effective evacuation strategies.