Pedestrian Flow Simulation and Capacity Analysis of Stations for Ultra-High-Speed Ground Transportation (Hyperloop)

Hyperloop, as long-distance transportation, is competitive with high-speed rail (HSR) and aviation. With the concepts of magnetic levitation and low-pressure environments, the hyperloop can take passengers to their destinations faster in a more environmentally friendly way compared with existing ground transportation and aircraft. Currently, various research exists focusing on the passenger capacity of the entire hyperloop system and the comparison with other transportation modes, but the analysis of the hyperloop station design and its impact on the passenger flow conditions is rare. Therefore, this study aims to provide a comprehensive analytical process to assess passenger flow at hyperloop stations with the consideration of the special characteristics of the hyperloop system, such as the airlock process. This study assumes six scenarios with different station layouts and system configurations and constructs the models of these scenarios in PTV Vissim. Several indicators are introduced to evaluate the passenger flow conditions of each station scenario. Furthermore, this study defines a process to detect potential bottlenecks based on the concept of level of service (LOS). A sensitivity analysis is performed for each scenario with different peak hour factors (PHFs) and the simulation results of the different scenarios are evaluated. The Evaluation showed that the station with platform function separation had the best performance on the average travel time of passengers and LOS assessment. The analytical process in this study can also serve as a basic design reference for relevant agencies to assess passenger flow and improve bottleneck situations at future hyperloop stations.