Smart Structures and Systems

Volume 16, Number 3, 2015, pages 459-478

DOI: 10.12989/sss.2015.16.3.459

Design of a TMD solution to mitigate wind-induced local vibrations in an existing timber footbridge

Daniele Bortoluzzi, Sara Casciati, Lorenzo Elia and Lucia Faravelli

Abstract

The design of a passive control solution based on tuned mass dampers (TMD\'s) requires the estimation of the actual masses involved in the undesired vibration. This task may result not so straightforward as expected when the vibration resides in subsets of different structural components. This occurs, for instance, when the goal is to damp out vibrations on stays. The theoretical aspects are first discussed and a design process is formulated. For sake of exemplification, a multiple TMD\'s configurations is eventually conceived for an existing timber footbridge located in the municipality of Trasaghis (North-Eastern Italy). The bridge span is 83 m and the deck width is 3.82 m.

Key Words

footbridges; passive control; tuned mass damper; vibration mitigation; wind load

Address

Daniele Bortoluzzi, Lorenzo Elia and Lucia Faravelli, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 3, 27100 Pavia (PV), Italy Sara Casciati, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Catania at Siracusa, P.za Federico di Svevia, 96100 Siracusa, Italy