Structural Response Evaluation of a Railway Station Footbridge Through Finite Element Analysis

Abstract

This study presents a finite element analysis of a pedestrian truss bridge located within a railway station, focusing on its structural performance under service loading conditions. The bridge, composed of steel L-section members and a steel deck, was modelled using ANSYS(ABACUS) to evaluate deformation behaviour, stress distribution, and overall stability. The analysis incorporated fixed and roller boundary conditions to simulate realistic support constraints and a uniformly distributed pedestrian load applied across the deck surface. The results indicate that the bridge exhibits stable deformation characteristics, with the maximum deflection occurring at the mid-span and remaining within permissible serviceability limits. The axial force distribution confirms efficient load transfer, with the top chords in compression and the bottom chords in tension, while the shear and bending moment patterns display typical behaviour for simply supported truss systems. Overall, the numerical results demonstrate that the design is structurally sound, ensuring adequate strength, stiffness, and safety for pedestrian usage within a railway environment.