Simulation and analysis about the loads of random pedestrians on footbridge

The finite element model of footbridge is established by ANSYS software. In the model, the Shell181 element is used in the cabinet body of the footbridge, and the SOLID 65 element is employed in the concrete structure. The MPC (multipoint constraint) technology is employed in cabinet and concrete joint, ensuring the contacting parts of different cell types with the same degree of freedom. On the foundation of rand and gdis databases, APDL language is applied so that the model can be parameterized to achieve the stride frequency obeying the randoms of normal distribution, pace, start position, phase angle, walking direction and weight. The simulation process is quite agreed with the actual random walks of pedestrians on the bridge deck. The proposed random model for the stream of people is loaded on the bridge deck, and then the FULL method is transiently analyzed by ANSYS. The simulation results can be used to verify the applicability and safety of the footbridge.