Load responses analysis of a pedestrian bridge using cellular automata method

Live load is an indispensable part of the design and operating stage of pedestrian bridges. A large body of research has been conducted to deepen the understanding of the live load itself, the load response, and the interaction between the human and the structure. However, the distribution pattern of the pedestrian load is far from being adequately studied. Thus, there is still a gap between state of the art and the reflection of structural responses under the real load. In this regard, this paper proposes to study the static load responses of a pedestrian b ridge by the pedestrian simulation model based on cellular automata. How this model function is explained, and a detailed framework for simulation is set up. A real tilting bridge is adopted for verifying the feasibility of the proposed approach, in which three parameters are investigated against the variation of the evaluative subjects, i.e., the number of pedestrians on the bridge and the concerned load responses. The investigated load responses are the bearing reaction at the end of the span, the force of the cable that connects to the middle of the span, and mid-span vertical deflection. The result indicates that the studied parameters correlate with the variation of load responses, which may provide a direction for further detailed research.