The influence of weather conditions on pedestrians’ behavior and motion, with respect to queues in outdoor urban areas

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to examine the influence of weather conditions on the behavior and motion of pedestrians, with respect to queuing in outdoor urban areas, exposed to changes in weather conditions. It aims to extract useful conclusions for the rational design of urban spaces in locations of pedestrian access and circulation (squares, entrance-exit of public spaces, open-air markets, etc.). The research includes the recording and analysis of characteristic pedestrian motion parameters, for two different years, in exactly the same space, and under similar evolution characteristics of the event and the service of the pedestrians in the queue. The only marked difference was the weather conditions prevailing in the area.