MATEC Web of Conferences 77, 08005 (2016) DOI: 10.

1051/ matecconf/2016770 8005

ICMMR 2016

Design of Experimental Suspended Footbridge with Deck Made of UHPC

1 1 1 2
Marek Blank , Petr Tej , J. Kolísko and L. Vráblík
1
Klokner Institute, Czech Technical University in Prague
2
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague

Abstract. This paper deals with the static and dynamic design of experimental footbridge for pedestrians and cyclists
in the municipality Lužec nad Vltavou in Czech Republic, Europe. This work aims to familiarize the reader with
calculations carried out and the results obtained, describing the static and dynamic properties of proposed footbridge.
The construction of footbridge is designed as a suspended structure with prestressed bridge deck consisting of
prefabricated UHPC panels and reversed "V" shaped steel pylon with height of approximately 40 meters. The deck is
anchored using 24 steel hangers in one row in a steel pylon - 17 ropes in the main span and 7 cables on the other side.
Range of the main span is 99.18 meters and the secondary span is 31.9 m. Deck width is 4.5 meters with 3.0 meters
passing space. The bridge is designed for the possibility of passage of vehicles weighting up to 3.5 tons. Deck panels
are made of UHPC with reinforcement. At the edge of the bridge on the side of the shorter span the bridge deck is
firmly connected with abutment and on the other deck it is stored using a pair of sliding bearings. The utilization of
the excellent properties of UHPC allows to design a very thin and lightweight construction of the deck, which could
not be achieved with the use of normal concrete.

1 Introduction The axis of the bridge leads over the river bed in
approximately perpendicular direction and at the end of
The footbridge transfers the bike path and the the bridge, on the shorter span side, passes in earth ramp
pedestrian trail over the river Vltava, connecting the located partly in a left curve of radius 30.0 meters for the
village Lužec nad Vltavou with surrounding connection to the existing road. Access ramps on both
municipalities on the other side of the river. This sides are sufficiently dimensioned to flood protection
footbridge will permanently replace current ferry. measures, but they are also made in the minimum slopes
The structural design according to various requirements and equipped grassy vegetation in accordance with the
and basic static and dynamic analysis of the structure landscape character of its surroundings.
were performed and all kinds of load regarding the nature The bridge deck height is kept in top curved surface
of the structure were considered. of radius 777.5 meters. This ensures enough camber of
the footbridge over the rivers canaliculate profile
measuring 35.0 meters with height of 7.0 meters, which
2 Materials was necessary due to the requirement of waterway
administrator. The rise of an arch is chosen so that the
Ultra High Performance Concrete - UHPC is a new ends of the supporting structure would still have the
cementitious composite material, which is mainly used maximum allowed slope for wheelchair use of the
for reducing or optimizing a weight and dimensions of building.
structures. Its outstanding features, mainly high The supporting structure consists of panels stapled to
compressive strength (>150 MPa), high tensile strength the contact joint by prestressed rods and cables.
(>10MPa) and high durability, are generally known Pretension leads in outer beams with the width of 0.75
[1][2][3]. UHPC is a homogenous material whose meters and a thickness of approximately 0.3 meters.
mixture consists of very fine aggregates, cement, fine These beams are connected by desk with at least 60 mm
fillers (silica fume, fly ash), superplasticizers and thickness, which forms a walk-bearing surface. The
randomly distributed fibres (steel, glass, polymer). A very surface of this area is fitted with sprayed anti-slip
low water-cement ratio and a fine grained mixture insulation finish in natural color of the original UHPC
provide extremely low porosity [3]. material. Each panel is reinforced by a pair of ribs located
in about ¼ the length of the panel from each end. The
utilization of the excellent properties of UHPC allows to
3 Structural Design design a very thin and lightweight construction of the

© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
MATEC Web of Conferences 77, 08005 (2016) DOI: 10.1051/ matecconf/2016770 8005
ICMMR 2016

deck, which could not be achieved with the use of normal simultaneously by prestressing of the hangers (refer to
concrete [4-9]. Fig. 1).
Each panel contains an embedded steel weldment at a
distance of 1.25 meters from the end of the panel, in
which will be anchored the hanging rope. The total length
of the panels is 5.65 m. End panels of the deck will be
accompanied by a monolithic part for the realization of
the restraint (connection of the bridge deck and
abutments) and for the installation of bridge bearings and
the expansion joint on the opposite side of the bridge.
The deck therefore dilates its entire length to the one
abutment. Dewatering of the bridge is provided by a free
water drain from the surface. The deck will be
illuminated by spotlights mounted in the construction of
the railing, which has the height of 1.3 meters.

4 Static Design
Figure 1. – A) Typical Cross-Section of the Deck, B)
Basic static scheme of the footbridge is formed by a Longitudinal Section, C) Cross-Section.
beam suspended by rope elements (able to transmit only
tension force) into the steel pylon, while the last hanger At the very hangers occurs reducing of their axial
on the side of the shorter span is anchored to the stiffness due to their elongation. Introduced normal force
abutment outside the supporting structure. On this side is is partially depleted by changing the geometry of the
the desk cantilevered to the abutment, which positively element until the moment when the cable is activated.
influences the dynamic properties of the system. On the From this point it can be assumed that the element
opposite side is the structure deposited on the sliding behaves linearly and the full stiffness of the rope applies.
joints (bearings) that allow the dilation of the structure. This behavior is known as tension stiffening. Static
Computing model was created in Scia Engineer 2014, design effort was to ensure such axial forces in the cables
Civil Midas and Midas FEA [10]. For the making of the (by permanent loads, variable loads, but also the actual
model have been used 2D shell finite elements. The final tightening of the ropes) that during their minimal
analysis was based on the basic principle of the hangers stress still remained sufficient tensile reserve in ropes,
acting as elements with a sagging which axial stiffness is which would guarantee their linear behavior and thus the
affected by the magnitude of a tensile force. The linear behavior of the structure. The model takes into
calculation is, given the nature of the construction, account the influence of the construction process and the
materially and physically nonlinear. gradual tensioning hangers.
The structure is loaded by permanent and variable Tensioning of the cables, and the normal force in
load effects. Permanent loads include the self-weight of general applied in them has a beneficial effect of reducing
the construction and all additionally built parts. Variable tensile stresses arising in the deck of the footbridge from
loads represent loads caused by traffic on the bridge - the extreme positions of the live load. Minimum required
pedestrians, vehicles up to 3.5 tons, and climatic loads - tensile strength, which ensures its linear behavior, was set
wind, snow and temperature. Pedestrian movement on the for each rope by using the calculation based on its
structure is simulated by moving surface load with size of geometric characteristics. The effort is within the
4.0 kN / m2 and vehicle load is represented by moving construction of the object to strain the ropes so that it acts
two axle vehicles of total weight of 3.5 tons. Both loads almost linearly by minimizing their sag. From the static
are considered in the model so that their effect would be model, it is possible to determine that the ropes at the
maximal due to the monitored variable - thus unloading edge of the bridge on the side of his longer range will
effects are neglected. need to be prestressed, because of their angle does not
Within the primary static calculation was mainly allow the transfer of sufficient tensile normal force of
controlled the extreme normal stress at crucial parts of self-weight of the structure to ensure their linear behavior
the structure to maintain the pressure reserve and tension (refer to Fig. 2, 3).
in the walls of the pylon. Furthermore, the stability of the
controlled compression of the steel pylon and two
fundamental methods – Euler’s concept of stability and 5 Dynamic Design
the introduction of production inaccuracies into the shape Basic static scheme of the footbridge is formed by a
the pylon. The result of the calculation was the need to beam suspended by the rope elements (able to transmit
fill the foot of the pylon with concrete to reduce the only tension force) into the steel pylon, while the last
otherwise high number of reinforcements and prevent curtain on the side of the shorter field is anchored to the
buckling of the walls. Further was also observed the abutment outside the supporting structure. On this side is
deformation of the structure, taking into consideration the desk cantilevered to the abutment, which positively
that all shifts and deflections caused by the self-weight of influences the dynamic properties of the system. On the
the structure will be removed by the camber and opposite side is the structure deposited on the sliding

2
MATEC Web of Conferences 77, 08005 (2016) DOI: 10.1051/ matecconf/2016770 8005
ICMMR 2016

joints (bearings) that allow the dilation of the structure. and pylon bend / n.5 f=1,864 – pylon bend / n.6 f=1,949 –
Computing model was created in Civil Midas and Midas deck and pylon bend / n.7 f=1,955 – deck torsion and
FEA. For the making of the model have been used 2D longitudinal pylon bend / n.8 f=2,389 – deck torsion and
shell finite elements. The calculation is, given the nature longitudinal pylon bend/ n.9 f=2,758 – deck and pylon
of the construction, materially and physically nonlinear. bend / n.10 f=2,981 – deck torsion and longitudinal pylon
Natural Frequencies and Mode Shapes of Proposed bend (Fig. 4).
Structure are Listed below:
n.1 f=0,632 – deck bend / n.2 f=0,945 – deck torsion /
n.3 f=1,098 – deck and pylon bend / n.4 f=1,508 – deck

Figure 2. Vertical Deformation of the Deck

Figure 3. Normal forces in ropes from self-weight of the structure

A) B)

D)
C)

3
MATEC Web of Conferences 77, 08005 (2016) DOI: 10.1051/ matecconf/2016770 8005
ICMMR 2016

E) F)

G) H)

I) J)
Figure 4. A) First mode shape, B) Second mode shape, C) Third mode shape, D) Fourth mode shape, E) Fifth mode shape, F) Sixth
mode shape, G) Seventh mode shape, H) Eight mode shape, I) Ninth mode shape, J) Tenth mode shape

1. B. Graybeal, "Ultra-High Performance Concrete,"

6 Conclusions FHWA Report HRT-11-038, March 2011
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of the structure were considered. Due to the significant
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necessary to deal with the construction as a geometrically
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and physically nonlinear task.
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modal analysis for the determination of natural
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01/2002.
it is possible to conclude the behavior of the structure and
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The construction met all the criteria and it is possible to
symposium on UHPC and Nanotechnology for High
conclude, that the design is feasible and meets the
Performance Material, Kassel, March 7-9,2012.
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This research is supported by grant No. GAČR 15- 0-1.
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