Skip to main content

Software solution for pedestrian simulation

VisWalk from PTV is a pedestrian simulation tool specifically designed to assist railway station operators, city planners, architects and event managers in planning and coordinating their projects. The software allows planners to optimise pedestrian flows in and outside buildings.
January 31, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
VisWalk from PTV is a pedestrian simulation tool specifically designed to assist railway station operators, city planners, architects and event managers in planning and coordinating their projects. The software allows planners to optimise pedestrian flows in and outside buildings.

With VisWalk the capacity of railway and underground stations can be calculated, optimal walking routes for travellers identified, queuing behaviour at ticket counters assessed, evacuation analysis performed and shop locations analysed. During the planning phase it is also possible to use VisWalk to optimise railway station design based on these criteria. At the click of a button, the software tool visualises the simulation in 3D.

Software solution for pedestrian simulation According to PTV product manager Dr Tobias Kretz, a leading expert in pedestrian simulation, VisWalk models pedestrian behaviour like no other simulation software. "One of the special features is dynamic routing. Pedestrians, just as vehicle drivers, usually try to arrive at their destination as quickly as possible. Often the quickest route is very similar to the shortest route. However, there are situations where this rule does not apply. The simplest of which is when a large group of pedestrians is doing a u-turn," Kretz says.

"Therefore, VisWalk includes both shortest and quickest path routing in the simulation."

Related Content

  • Stars and autostripes
    September 12, 2014
    Transport engineers and planners in the USA and Australia are set to benefit from innovative road striping and traffic management design software previously only available in the UK. UK company Keysoft Solutions’ new AutoStripe application has been developed by Keysoft Solutions to enable users to design road markings quickly and efficiently in AutoCAD. AutoStripe is based on the developers’ popular KeyLines software extensively used in the UK but has been adapted specifically to comply with North Ame
  • Umovity's Christian Haas: AI in ITS is 'evolving at speed'
    September 17, 2024
    The intersections between AI and ITS will shape the future of the industry. Christian U. Haas, CEO of Umovity, outlines some challenges – and looks forward to the opportunities
  • Pioneering IntelliDrive technologies in Michigan
    February 2, 2012
    Pete Goldin reports on upgrades to the USDOT's Michigan Test Bed, where IntelliDrive technologies are being pioneered
  • Growth of telematics-based pay as you drive car insurance systems
    July 17, 2012
    Car insurance made cheaper by telematics has returned to news headlines in the UK this year. Will it really take off this time and can vehicle tracking provide an effective tool for enforcing or encouraging insurance compliance? Jon Masters reports Will 2012 go down as the year that telematics-based car insurance took off? In the UK at least, a groundswell of new policies, with premiums priced on the basis of tracked and analysed driving style, suggests a turning point has been reached. Some would argue t