A framework for experimental determination of localised vertical pedestrian forces on full-scale structures using wireless attitude and heading reference systems
Bocian, M.; Brownjohn, JMW; Racic, V.; et al.Hester, D.; Quattrone, A.; Monnickendam, R.
Date: 16 May 2016
Article
Journal
Journal of Sound and Vibration
Publisher
Elsevier
Publisher DOI
Abstract
A major weakness among loading models for pedestrians walking on flexible structures proposed in
recent years is the various uncorroborated assumptions made in their development. This applies to spatio-
temporal characteristics of pedestrian loading and the nature of multi-object interactions. To alleviate this
problem, a framework ...
A major weakness among loading models for pedestrians walking on flexible structures proposed in
recent years is the various uncorroborated assumptions made in their development. This applies to spatio-
temporal characteristics of pedestrian loading and the nature of multi-object interactions. To alleviate this
problem, a framework for the determination of localised pedestrian forces on full-scale structures is
presented using a wireless attitude and heading reference systems (AHRS). An AHRS comprises a triad
of tri-axial accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers managed by a dedicated data processing unit,
allowing motion in three-dimensional space to be reconstructed. A pedestrian loading model based on a
single point inertial measurement from an AHRS is derived and shown to perform well against
benchmark data collected on an instrumented treadmill. Unlike other models, the current model does not
take any predefined form nor does it require any extrapolations as to the timing and amplitude of
pedestrian loading. In order to assess correctly the influence of the moving pedestrian on behaviour of a
structure, an algorithm for tracking the point of application of pedestrian force is developed based on data
from a single AHRS attached to a foot. A set of controlled walking tests with a single pedestrian is
conducted on a real footbridge for validation purposes. A remarkably good match between the measured
and simulated bridge response is found, indeed confirming applicability of the proposed framework.
Engineering
Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy
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