Dynamic running actions on footbridges: A pilot study on human-structure interaction

Abstract

Running has become a popular leisure activity, evidenced by the increasing popularity of urban trails and marathons. However, assessment of the structural response induced by runners on civil engineering structures, such as footbridges and floors, is very challenging due to inadequate prediction models. The lack of fundamental data and qualitative research approaches obstruct the characterisation of Human-Structure Interaction (HSI). Specifically active HSI, when the human locomotion is influenced by the motion of the supporting surface, is not well understood. This contribution presents a pilot study on active HSI for dynamic running actions. The cycle-by-cycle gait parameters were captured using a state-of-the-art moveable treadmill setup. The proposed analysis method revealed only an impact of additional structural excitations on the peak force amplitudes but not on the body motion. The reduced force amplitudes are related to a possible decreased relative phase difference between the runner and the structure, and thus, an indication of active HSI.