Pedestrian Bridge Research Articles

Unraveling urban informality: the dynamics of value and space appropriation at pedestrian bridges in Islamabad, Pakistan

ABSTRACT This research explores the dynamics of urban informality and space appropriation at pedestrian bridges in Islamabad, Pakistan, offering new insights into how informal practices reshape the utilization and value of urban spaces. By focusing on both formal and informal uses, the study reveals a significant gap between the intended and actual uses of these bridges. Through observation and analysis of three key bridges, the study examines how informal activities – such as vending, resting, and social interactions – transform pedestrian bridges into multifunctional spaces. This research also uncovers informal modifications and analyzes the role of urban governance in shaping these practices. The findings contribute novel insights into urban informality in the Global South by focusing on Islamabad’s pedestrian bridges, an area that has received limited scholarly attention. The study is particularly valuable for urban planners and policymakers in guiding the design of more inclusive urban environments in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Study on the Application of Determinant-MTMD(TMDD) Vibration Reduction in Cable-Supported Pedestrian Suspension Bridge

In this study, multiple tuned mass dampers (MTMDs) were studied to understand their impact on the human-induced vibration response and comfort level of a pedestrian cable-supported suspension bridge. A spatial finite element model based on a specific engineering case was established. The dynamic characteristics of the bridge under human-induced loads were investigated, and its comfort level under human-induced vibrations was analyzed using the time-history method. Then, this study adjusted the design parameters of the dampers based on various optimal damper parameter expressions. Furthermore, the damping effectiveness of MTMD under different mass ratios (μ) was evaluated, and it was found that increasing the mass ratio significantly impacts damping performance. Finally, determinant-TMD (TMDD) was introduced, and a comparison between the damping effect, robustness, and performance of TMDD and MTMD was conducted. The results indicate that while increasing the mass ratio does not linearly affect maximum vibration acceleration, the damping effect increases initially and then stabilizes, with a damping rate converging at approximately 55%. However, with the TMDD approach, the maximum damping rate can reach approximately 70%, enhancing comfort levels from the “minimum CL3” achieved with MTMD to the “medium CL2” level. Additionally, while TMDD’s robustness is slightly inferior to MTMD at lower mass ratios, it demonstrates superior robustness at higher mass ratios.

Residual stress and deformation of welded T-joint between low carbon steel and stainless steel

The welded structures between carbon steel and stainless steel are widely used in many sectors such as pedestrian bridges, food industry, chemical industry, petroleum, and thermal power plants, … These composite structures take advantages of each material for different parts of structure. In the welded structures between carbon steel and stainless steel, the structure is made by T-joint that is the most common. The calculation of residual stress and welding strain of the T-joint between low-carbon and stainless steel materials is the basis to evaluate the working ability of this structure. In this study, the residual stress and welding deformation of the T-joint are determined by the imaginary force method. The double-sided weld of T-joint between low carbon steel and stainless steel is welded simultaneously by MIG welding process. The obtained results of residual stress and welding deformation in this case are compared with the case of single-sided weld so that we can find the difference between residual stress and welding deformation in two cases.

Experimental modal identification of a pedestrian bridge through drive-by monitoring integrated with shared-mobility vehicles

In the context of improving resilience in transport infrastructure, an emerging approach of indirect structural health monitoring is gaining attention, known as drive-by monitoring, instrumenting a vehicle with sensors to evaluate the bridges it crosses. However, their effectiveness has predominantly been investigated in ideal scenarios, with actual real-world applications being quite scarce. The research presented in this paper explores the feasibility of combining two routes: (1) fleet emissions reduction and (2) transport resilience enhancement, through drive-by monitoring integrated with shared mobility, including electric mobility scooter and bicycle. The information from drive-by data collected from shared mobility can give valuable information on critical transport infrastructure (e.g., bridges) and such a drive-by database has the potential for network level infrastructure condition assessment. In this paper, two different drive-by roadmaps are investigated subject to the flexibility of the bridges, namely partially or fully drive-by monitoring. To validate the proposed roadmaps, a full-scale pedestrian bridge was chosen for drive-by testing, where smartphone sensors and specialised accelerometers are mounted on shared mobility for data acquisition. Experimental results demonstrate that (i) smartphone sensing can provide data with similar accuracy compared to specialised accelerometers, (ii) bridge frequencies can be easily obtained from temporarily parked shared mobility, with a maximum relative error of 1.05%, (iii) both the bridge frequencies and operational deflection shapes are successfully extracted from the moving shared mobility by using variational mode decomposition and filtering techniques, and shared mobility’s GPS data along with moving speeds are collected for potential vehicle positioning and drive-by database updating.

De-mixing variational mode decomposition and its application on operational modal analysis in the presence of closely spaced modes

Variational mode decomposition (VMD), and its derivative methods have been demonstrated to be promising signal decomposition tools and widely utilized in modal analysis. However, they inevitably suffer from mode mixing sometimes, greatly impairing the quality of decomposition. This paper proposes a pair of novel VMD-based methods for univariate signal and multivariate signal respectively, referred to as de-mixing VMD (D-VMD) and de-mixing multivariate VMD (D-MVMD), which can greatly alleviate mode mixing in decomposition. The ensemble correlation coefficient is defined to evaluate the correlatedness between one mode and others and then involved in the variational formulation as an additional Lagrangian multiplier item to enhance the constraint in terms of mode mixing. Additionally, a new scheme is proposed to robustly identify modal parameters from the decomposed modal responses. Numerical simulations and a pedestrian bridge were investigated to validate the effectiveness of the proposed methods in identifying closely spaced modes.

Systematization of the application of polymer composite materials in the design of bridge structures

Background. This study systematizes the principles of using polymer composite materials in bridge structure design, outlining the fundamental principles for calculating load-bearing structures of bridge spans featuring these materials. Aim. The goal is to enhance the strength and durability of bridge spans during construction and maintenance, while optimizing costs through the use of polymer composite materials. Materials and Methods. The research employs a modern approach to bridge structure design, utilizing mathematical statistics for experimental data analysis and numerical methods for calculating bridge structures using nonlinear deformation models of anisotropic materials. Results. Developed principles for designing bridge spans with polymer composite elements include methods for strengthening and reinforcing concrete bridge structures. These methods account for operational factors such as long-term constant and temporary loads, low and elevated temperatures, as well as methods for designing all-composite spans pedestrian and road bridges Conclusion. The principles of designing bridge spans with elements made of polymer composite materials have been introduced into the practice of transport construction in the Russian Federation. The technical and economic efficiency of using polymer composite materials in bridge structures of transport infrastructure has been confirmed.

A Comparative Study of Single-Chain and Multi-Chain MCMC Algorithms for Bayesian Model Updating-Based Structural Damage Detection

Bayesian model updating has received considerable attention and has been extensively used in structural damage detection. It provides a rigorous statistical framework for realizing structural system identification and characterizing uncertainties associated with modeling and measurements. The Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) is a promising tool for inferring the posterior distribution of model parameters to avoid the intractable evaluation of multi-dimensional integration. However, the efficacy of most MCMC techniques suffers from the curse of parameter dimension, which restricts the application of Bayesian model updating to the damage detection of large-scale systems. In addition, there are several MCMC techniques that require users to properly choose application-specific models, based on the understanding of algorithm mechanisms and limitations. As seen in the literature, there is a lack of comprehensive work that investigates the performances of various MCMC algorithms in their application of structural damage detection. In this study, the Differential Evolutionary Adaptive Metropolis (DREAM), a multi-chain MCMC, is explored and adapted to Bayesian model updating. This paper illustrates how DREAM is used for model updating with many uncertainty parameters (i.e., 40 parameters). Furthermore, the study provides a tutorial to users who may be less experienced with Bayesian model updating and MCMC. Two advanced single-chain MCMC algorithms, namely, the Delayed Rejection Adaptive Metropolis (DRAM) and Transitional Markov Chain Monte Carlo (TMCMC), and DREAM are elaborately introduced to allow practitioners to understand better the concepts and practical implementations. Their performances in model updating and damage detection are compared through three different engineering applications with increased complexity, e.g., a forty-story shear building, a two-span continuous steel beam, and a large-scale steel pedestrian bridge.

The Effectiveness of Pedestrian Crossing Bridges for Urban Areas in Indonesia Based on Crossing Times and Pedestrian Perspective

The use of pedestrian bridges is often ineffective as pedestrians tend to prefer crossing directly on the roadway, even though heavy traffic conditions increase the risk of accidents. This lowers the safety level of crossers and causes traffic problems. This study aims to evaluate the efficient use of pedestrian bridges and determine public perceptions of road crossing facilities. The research was conducted using geometric assessment and road performance evaluation methods that refer to the 2023 Indonesian Road Capacity Guidelines. In addition, crossing times were analyzed based on the traffic TCT distribution histogram, as well as pedestrian perceptions of crossing facilities. The evaluation results show that the effectiveness of road services falls into category A. Based on pedestrian perceptions, 60% of respondents prefer to cross directly on the roadway, with an average TCT of 1.2 m/sec. From the results of the CSI analysis, the level of respondents' satisfaction with the condition of the pedestrian bridge is 71.373%. Based on the results of the study, the use of pedestrian bridges will be effective in the next 15 years. Recommendations proposed to increase the effectiveness of the use of pedestrian bridges and the level of pedestrian safety is the use of guardrails.

Risk assessment of bridge construction investigated using random forest algorithm

Bridge construction collapse is one of the most common bridge safety accidents. At present, evaluation results are often affected by the ability and experience of the assessor. Therefore, it is difficult to quickly, accurately and effectively evaluate the risk in the process of bridge construction. Moreover, key factors that can prevent accidents can hardly find from the existing bridge construction safety management and evaluation method. This paper analyzes and classifies the artificial and environmental risk factors that affect the bridge construction stage, and establishes 26 risk factors in 5 categories according to the characteristics of bridge construction and the actual situation of the project. Random forest (RF) algorithm is a non-parametric machine learning method based on decision tree, which does not need to be scored by experts in advance and avoids the influence of subjective factors. Compared with other analysis methods, random forest algorithm has the advantages of accurate and robust risk assessment results. Based on the advantages of random forest algorithm and the characteristics of bridge construction risk, this paper uses random forest algorithm to evaluate the bridge construction risk, and ranks the importance of indicators, and identify the index that has a greater influence on the risk. In order to verify the applicability and feasibility of the proposed method, a typical urban complex pedestrian bridge was taken as an example for actual engineering evaluation and verification. The results obtained are basically consistent with the actual risk assessment results of the pedestrian bridge.

A Holistic and Circular Approach for Managing End-of-Service Wind Turbine Blades

This paper aims to define the challenges and requirements necessary for the holistic management of wind turbine blades at the end of their service (EoS). Conducted within the Swedish research project Circublade, this study focuses on Sweden, although many challenges and findings are applicable to other countries. Various alternatives for managing EoS wind turbine blades exist at different levels of market maturity, but this paper specifically focuses on repurposing the blades into new products. The development of three concept designs—short-span pedestrian bridges, façade elements for building applications, and noise barriers for roads and railways—has been explored, along with aspects related to material sourcing, logistics, and implementation. For material sourcing, a digital platform containing blade data and tools to facilitate repurposing has been developed. An environmental evaluation of the different concepts highlights the significant impact of transportation on the overall environmental footprint, underscoring the necessity of a holistic approach to managing EoS blades.

Exploring Semi-Active TMD Performance on Lively Footbridges Considering Human–Structure Interaction in Vertical Direction

Human–Structure Interaction (HSI) can significantly influence the dynamic characteristics of pedestrian footbridges, particularly those distinguished by their lightness and slenderness. This study examines the performance of Tuned Mass Dampers (TMD) and Semi-Active Tuned Mass Dampers (STMD) on pedestrian footbridges when their modal parameters change due to the influence of HSI. For this purpose, a 30 m long simply-supported footbridge with linear mass values ranging from 200[Formula: see text]kg/m to 2[Formula: see text]000[Formula: see text]kg/m and a fundamental frequency varying from 1[Formula: see text]Hz to 5[Formula: see text]Hz has been considered. In addition, several pedestrian streams with different pedestrian densities have been used to assess the structural dynamic response. The analysis highlights that structural lightness and slenderness are critical factors in determining whether the incorporation of an HSI model is relevant to accurately predict the dynamic performance of the structure. The findings indicate that while TMDs can become ineffective due to shifts in natural frequencies caused by HSI, resulting in a degradation of vibration reduction from 70–75% to 40–45%, STMDs demonstrate a robust capability to adjust and cope with these frequency changes, maintaining a higher average vibration reduction of around 55–60%. Consequently, STMDs emerge as a necessary solution for very slender structures where HSI significantly alters the global frequency response. This study highlights the importance of considering HSI in the design and implementation of damping solutions to ensure optimal functionality and user comfort on lightweight pedestrian bridges.

‘Robinson’ Pedestrian Bridge in Budapest, Hungary

Abstract‘Robinson’ Bridge was built as part of the National Athletic Centre project in Budapest, Hungary. The 168 m long cable‐stayed pedestrian bridge has a 65 m tall inclined pylon standing on a small island. The 12,72 m wide main girder is suspended to a monopylon with a two‐plane fan‐shaped FLC stay cable system. The landmark bridge's stunning appearance was achieved with hybrid structures. Both the pylon and parts of the slender stiffening girder were made of S460 steel tubes filled with concrete to enhance their load‐bearing and dynamic characteristics. Due to very limited construction area, a special erection process was used for the pylon involving a 200t floating crane. The stiffening girder was built with incremental launching. Cable tensioning with a curved deck proposed special design challenges. Large displacements had to be accurately predicted. To meet the strictest requirements for pedestrian comfort, TMDs were applied and dynamic load tests carried out to prove the results.

Pedestrian bridge over the River Elbe in Hradec Králové

AbstractThis contribution describes the architectural and structural solutions of a unique pedestrian footbridge in Hradec Králové. The new significant construction was built over the Elbe River in the pedestrian area. The bridge design was challenging for architects, planners even though contractors, especially due to accounting for the influence of shipping traffic. Completed structure has two asymmetrical spans, whereas the main span across the river is 69 m long. In the final static scheme, the structure forms a virtual Vierendeel truss of variable height. A slender UHPFRC bridge deck supported by a pair of cables through thin steel crossbars creates a delightful bridge, which has become a new symbol of the city.

The pedestrian and bicycle bridge “Sprung über die Emscher” in Castrop Rauxel

AbstractThe new pedestrian and bicycle bridge in Castrop Rauxel is part of the “Emscherland” project, a nature and water experience park. “Emscherland” is a joint project of the Emschergenossenschaft with the adjacent municipalities of Castrop‐Rauxel, Recklinghausen, Herne and Herten.The total length of the bridge is 412 meters, and the usable width of the pedestrian and bike path is 2.50 meters. The weight of the steel structure is 900 tons. A highlight of the assembly work is the floating‐in of the bridge section (70 meters long and weighing 105 tons) over the Rhein‐Herne‐Canal.

The new bridge “Lahnsteg Nauheim”, Wetzlar: slender, elegant, parametrically designed

AbstractThis paper outlines the planning of a bridge in central Germany. Scheduled for construction in mid‐2024, this new bridge is a replacement for a century‐old pedestrian bridge crossing the Lahn river.The proposed bridge will be an airtight‐welded arch bridge, employing steel cross‐sections in both the arch and tension member. Designed as a single‐span, the arches extend 48.0m over the Lahn. The two arches have a flat rise of 4.65m, supporting the roadway through 9 inclined flat steel hangers.This paper delves into the structural engineering aspects, exploring challenges inherent in the design process. An examination of the parametric design process, facilitated through 3‐D modeling in Rhino® and Grasshopper®, will be presented, along with insights into their interface with the finite element modeling software, RFEM®. This process enables an engineering approach to form‐finding and structure optimisation through iterative design checks for various elements and stages of the structural analysis.

White City pedestrian Bridge –structural design of the cable‐stayed future landmark, Baku (AZ)

AbstractOnce constructed, the Baku White City pedestrian bridge will be a landmark for the newly developed White City district in the east of the Capital. Designed by UNStudio, the bridge crosses the highway of 8th November Avenue and connects the newly build city to the seaside, forming a wide promenade.Due to the pending construction of the mall as future bridge support, the bridge had to be redesigned. A cantilevering viewing platform will highlight the bridge's ending.This paper covers the structural design of the architecturally shaped cable stayed bridge, supported through a 46 m high A‐shaped, slightly curved pylon. Based on 3‐D modelling in Rhino® and Grasshopper®, the FE‐software SOFISTIK® is used both for cable force finding and bridge design.The structural system, steel structure's specific detail for cable connection and its design approach have been documented.

Analytical Investigation of the Effects of Additional Load Mass on the Fundamental Frequency of Pedestrian Beam Bridges

The aspect of resonant vibrations due to pedestrian movement is of great significance in engineering practice. Therefore, understanding the variations in the natural frequency of bridge structures under varying positions of additional mass is of particular interest. This paper presents a procedure for the straightforward determination of the natural frequencies of a beam pedestrian bridge for various positions of pedestrians or a service vehicle based on derived analytical solutions. The calculation takes into account the inertial effects of the additional load mass, modeled as either uniformly distributed or concentrated. The importance of additional load mass effects on the fundamental frequency of a beam pedestrian bridge and its dynamic response to a moving pedestrian load is demonstrated on a bridge example. The proposed solutions are also applicable to other girder system structures with uniform mass and stiffness along their span.

Modelling Human-Structure Interaction in Pedestrian Bridges Using a Three-Dimensional Biomechanical Approach

Pedestrian bridges, which are essential in urban and rural infrastructures, are vulnerable to vibrations induced by pedestrian traffic owing to their low mass, stiffness, and damping. This paper presents a novel predictive model of Human-Structure Interaction (HSI) that integrates a three-dimensional biomechanical model of the human body, and a pedestrian bridge represented as a simply supported Euler-Bernoulli beam. Using inverse dynamics, the human model accurately captures three-dimensional gait and its interaction with structural vibrations. The results show that this approach provides precise estimates of human gait kinematics and kinetics, as well as the bridge response under pedestrian loads. The incorporation of a three-dimensional human gait model reflects the changes induced by bridge vibrations, providing a robust tool for evaluating and improving the effect of structural vibrations on the properties and gait patterns.

Analisa Efektivitas Penggunaan Jembatan Penyeberangan Orang di Depan Mall Kota Jayapura

The People Crossing Bridge (JPO) is one of the important infrastructures in the urban transportation system. JPO is designed to facilitate pedestrians to cross the highway safely without being disturbed by vehicle traffic. This infrastructure not only serves to improve safety but also supports mobility efficiency in dense urban areas. On Jalan Dr. Sam Ratulangi, Jayapura City, a pedestrian bridge infrastructure was built, which is located in front of Jayapura Mall, Jayapura City. According to its purpose, the pedestrian bridge was built to reduce the occurrence of traffic accidents in locations with heavy activities, including city centers with shopping that certainly has high mobility. The data collection method in this study uses the survey method. In this study, the researcher conducted a survey of JPO facilities at pedestrian trap sites. This research is the output of the stages that have been carried out by the author. Based on the results of observations that have been carried out on July 8 and 13, 2024, at 07.00 – 17.00 WIP, the results were found that more pedestrians chose to cross using the available JPO with a total of 147 people (65%), compared to 92 people (35%) who did not use the JPO. Meanwhile, using JPO can help and facilitate and shorten the travel time of the crossing, by climbing and descending stairs you can enjoy the atmosphere around. In the condition of the JPO floor, this is due to the presence of mischievous individuals so that public facilities are starting to be unattractive to see. For this reason, public facilities are assets that we need to take care of together so that they are suitable for use. Factors that affect the effectiveness of the JPO located on jl. Dr. Sam Ratulangi in front of the Jayapura City Mall that needs to be concerned is the cleanliness at the location is the top priority.

Sustainable repurpose of end-of-life fiber reinforced polymer composites: A new circular pedestrian bridge concept

In response to global challenges in resource supply, many industries are adopting the principles of the Circular Economy (CE) to improve their resource acquisition strategies. This paper introduces an innovative approach to address the environmental impact of waste Glass Fiber Reinforced-Polymer (GFRP) pipes and panels by repurposing them to manufacture structural components for new bicycle and pedestrian bridges. The study covers the entire process, including conceptualization, analysis, design, and testing of a deck system, with a focus on the manufacturing process for a 7-m-long prototype bridge. The study shows promising results in the concept of a sandwich structure utilizing discarded GFRP pipes and panels, which has the flexibility to account for variabilities in dimensions of incoming products while still meeting mechanical requirements. The LCA analysis shows that the transportation of materials is the governing contributing factor. It was concluded that further development of this concept should be accompanied by a business model that considers the importance of the contributions from the whole value chain.