The synchronous lateral excitation phenomenon: modelling framework and an application

A mathematical model conceived to simulate the mechanics of synchronous lateral excitation induced by pedestrians on footbridges is presented in this Note. The model is based on the mathematical and numerical decomposition of the coupled multiphysical non-linear system into two interacting subsystems: the Structure system, whose dynamics is described by the non-linear equation of motion, and the Crowd system, which is described by a first-order hydrodynamic model governed by the mass conservation equation. The model was applied to the simulation of a crowd event recorded on the T-bridge in Japan and results are commented on. To cite this article: F. Venuti, L. Bruno, C. R. Mecanique 335 (2007).