ABSTRACT

Design codes and guides concerned with vibration serviceability of footbridges have, in their present form, origins in research from the 1970s and until very recent innovations (which are still informative rather than normative) have used either frequency control or provision for response due to a single pedestrian. Clearly footbridges are expected to be fit for purpose when carrying multiple pedestrians, even large numbers or ‘crowds’ at special events and there have been several high-profile examples of footbridges that have failed to perform satisfactorily in these circumstances. These failures have highlighted shortcomings in current codes and design guides and led to a significant research effort to develop updated rational design guidance covering cases not just of single pedestrians, but also scenarios of multiple pedestrians, and effects for response in both vertical and lateral directions.