Crowd as a Fluid: The Physics of a Crush ⚡ экспресс
The dynamics of dense pedestrian crowds come with significant risks, yet the underlying inter-individual interactions and contact forces remain insufficiently understood to reliably prevent incidents. To accurately describe these physical interactions, specialized modeling methods are required. The review examines key paradigms—from classic models where pedestrians were viewed as independent agents to modern approaches specifically adapted for high-density conditions. It underscores the need for new experimental research and a shift in modeling paradigms to better capture the complex dynamics arising in human crowds.
In tight spaces, a crowd behaves like water in a pipe: the more people, the higher the pressure. At the same time, entropy — a measure of chaos — increases, and a single push triggers a compression wave that, like gravitational waves, travels instantly through the crowd, knocking people off their feet. Previously, crowd movement was modeled as an ideal gas, ignoring physical contact. Now scientists account for compressive forces: at a density of more than 6 people per square meter, the lungs can't expand, and a person suffocates while standing upright. Such analysis helps architects design safer spaces. Surprisingly, a silent crowd is often more dangerous than a screaming one — silence hinders awareness of the threat until it's too late.
🎯 The highest recorded density is 9 people per square meter: the chest is compressed so much that breathing is impossible.
🎬 Asimov's psychohistory in real time.