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Next generation crowd flow simulation and visualisation.

Crowd flow simulation uses sophisticated agent-based modelling techniques to predict the behaviour of people within a building or an urban space. This prediction allows us to optimise the design and management of spaces, making them robust for normal and emergency conditions.

With the technologies in computer graphics, VR, GIS, network analysis, and GPU based computing converging, there is an increasing demand for rapid simulation tools that not only produce accurate simulations but also provide realistic visualisations of crowd movement.

This project aims to progress the development and use of the next generation crowd flow simulation tools with detailed interactions between the agents and their surroundings allied to high quality visualisations. The fast models would enable the execution of thousands of runs testing different designs and scenarios and enabling optimisations using sensitivity analysis and Monte Carlo simulations. The work will extend Buro Happold’s crowd flow simulation software ‘SMART Move’ that brings together the strengths of network modelling and agent-based simulation technologies to offer integrated modelling of people, transport and baggage.

The use and development of the software on real design projects will be aimed at enabling the tool to be market leading, whilst providing the candidate with the invaluable opportunity to become an expert in the field of crowd flow modelling.