Evacuation simulation of the Cannstatter Wasen

Description
Client: Stuttgart Police Headquarters
Task: Escape simulation
Result: Optimization of the evacuation time

Background

The Cannstatter Wasen is one of the largest and most popular folk festivals in the world and is a landmark for the entire region around Stuttgart. The fairground covers 25 hectares and is located on the banks of the Neckar in the Bad Cannstatt district of Stuttgart. Founded in 1818 by King Wilhelm I of Württemberg, the folk festival attracts around four million locals and tourists from all over the world every year. In addition to various fairground rides and showmen, the Wasen is also home to numerous restaurants offering culinary delights, as well as the various beer tents of the breweries. This year, the traditional folk festival is celebrating its 200th anniversary.
"The simulation showed us very clearly how we can improve the escape routes at the Cannstatter Volksfest. This made it possible to optimize the planned escape routes on the festival grounds both structurally and conceptually." Mr. Carsten Höfler, Stuttgart Police Headquarters, Head of the Operations Department

Objective of the simulation

accu:rate was commissioned by Stuttgart Police Headquarters to create an escape simulation for the festival grounds. In order to be able to guarantee the highest possible level of safety for the celebrating visitors, it is important for the organizer to be as well prepared as possible for all situations. The safety and evacuation concept is to be checked by running through what-if scenarios with the help of a flow of people simulation.

Our approach

  •  Examination of the overall evacuation of the site
  • Comparison of different variants in terms of the number of people to be evacuated and their escape route assignments

Results

The evacuation simulation was used to identify unfavorable points in the layout and to determine the evacuation times for various scenarios.
Overall evacuation of the Cannstatter Wasen festival grounds Image source: "Cannstatter Wasen" by qwesy qwesy. license
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