Flurin Hänseler research projects

This page reports only the academic work registered in the databases of the Transport and Mobility Laboratory, and is not necessarily a comprehensive list of the work by Flurin Hänseler.

More information may be available here

Pedflux: Pedestrian flow modeling in train stations

Sponsor: Swiss Federal Railways (SBB)

Team: Michel Bierlaire (PI), Michaël Thémans (PM), Riccardo Scarinci (PM), Flurin Hänseler

Period: April 01, 2012-March 31, 2015

The aim of this collaborative research project between the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB-CFF-FFS) and EPFL's transportation center is to analyze, model and optimize pedestrian flows in train stations. In recent years, the growing number of passengers has led to difficulties related to pedestrian flows in major train stations. Congestion of pedestrian walkways is increasingly becoming a problem during peak hours, but also due to clustering of people caused by major events or the beginning or end of holiday season. When capacity limits for pedestrian facilities are reached, normal operation of train schedules can be significantly impaired. Since train stations are important nodes within the multimodal public transportation system, it is of major importance that they are operated as efficiently as possible. In addition to the increase in passenger numbers, train stations have been undergoing a profound transformation from simple transit nodes towards versatile hubs that provide interface to short and long-distance train connections, to other modes including private transport by foot, bike and car, as well as to the city offering public space for shopping, eating and alike. This transformation leads to a further increase in pedestrian numbers and additionally introduces new behavior patterns. A sound understanding of pedestrian flows within a train station can help improve overall level of service, customer experience and safety. The main focus of this study lies on the development of a methodology allowing to estimate pedestrian origin-destination (OD) demand within a train station. Specifically, train time table, customer survey data and flow observations from an exhaustive camera system are used as sources of information in this process. Subsequently, the modeling frame work is applied to several case studies in Switzerland.

Pedestrian dynamics: flows and behavior

Sponsor: Swiss National Science Foundation

Team: Michel Bierlaire (PI), Bilal Farooq (PM), Riccardo Scarinci (PM), Antonin Danalet, Flurin Hänseler, Marija Nikolic

Period: April 01, 2012-March 31, 2015

This project aims at developing mathematical models of pedestrian dynamics, both at aggregate and disaggregate levels. Integrated and holistic mathematical models will handle the complexity of this unique transport mode and help us to answer open research questions. in the future, such foundations will also allow to create the tools society needs to better understand pedestrian dynamics.

Léman 2030: Flux piétons Gare de Lausanne

Sponsor: Swiss Federal Railways (SBB)

Team: Michel Bierlaire (PI), Michaël Thémans (PM), Bilal Farooq (PM), Flurin Hänseler, Antonin Danalet, Sohrab Sahaleh

Period: October 01, 2011-July 15, 2012

In the framework of a 9-month collaboration with CFF, pedestrian flows in Lausanne train station are estimated and modeled. Specifically, an estimation methodology for pedestrian origin-destination demand is developed and applied to predict a demand scenario for 2030. By means of a pedestrian flow simulator, several infrastructure scenarios are quantitatively evaluated, the result of which helps CFF to design and dimension pedestrian underpasses of Gare de Lausanne for the future.