Enhancements for Rapidly Deployable Suspended Footbridges

Walking networks can be damaged during disasters such as floods and leave people stranded. By utilizing a rapidly deployable bridge, a walking network can be quickly restored. The objective of this paper is to describe ways to improve upon an established method for rapidly deploying suspended footbridges when only one side of a crossing is initially accessible. The established method consists of using a drone to fly a pilot line around a far side anchor. The bridge structure is then pulled over the crossing using the pilot line. This established method requires that the drone operator have a clear view of the far side anchor.

Additionally, the established bridge design provides little adjustability in terms of span length and utilizes a flexible net as a deck.

The deployment method improvements described in this paper include augmenting the drone visuals during the flight, designing the bridge’s components to accommodate various spans, and increasing the deck’s stiffness. These improvements have the potential to enhance the versatility of rapidly deploying suspended footbridges in a range of environments.

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