Dynamic Assessment of the Longest Single-Span Timber Footbridge in Spain

Abstract

<p>This paper shows the methodology used for the dynamic identification and serviceability assessment carried out on a timber pedestrian walkway located in the <i>Anillo Verde </i>trail, upon the N‐102 road, between Zabalgana and Armentia, Vitoria, Spain. The footbridge is 61 meters long and 3 meters wide and consists of curved glulam structural beams, wood deck and steel cross bracings, designed by Media Madera Ingenieros Consultores. With applied research aims, an experimental campaign was carried out in December 2019, just after its erection process. Useful data was collected to estimate its modal properties and to calibrate the corresponding computational model. Also, some serviceability tests were carried out to quantify the vibrations induced by pedestrian crossing. Although there may be some other works with similar objectives and methodology, the peculiarity of this structure is the building material, its large size and the challenging one‐step erection process, resulting in a fully functional structural typology with attractive advantages from construction and environmental points of view.</p>