Impact of Slope Upon Pedestrian Flow
摘要
Numerous studies have explored the relationship between walkability and various factors such as neighbourhood planning, quality of life, health, sustainability, tourist attractions, housing affordability, crime rates, and safety. However, there seems to be a research gap in understanding how slope affects walkability. In hilly regions, walking serves as an important mode of transportation due to challenges related to right-of-way (ROW) limitations and turning radius constraints that make it difficult to provide a robust public transport system. The Indian codes do not address the influence of slope on walking. The aim of this study was to analyse how slope impacts walkability while focusing on midblock sections in both flat and hilly terrain. One significant finding from the study involved benchmarking the flow of pedestrians along sloped footpaths and carriageways, comparing the upward and downward slopes based on the pedestrian speed-density relationship. It also illustrates the variation in service levels on a footpath corresponding to changes in its width. To validate these findings, a pedestrian simulation was conducted using PTV VISSIM.