"Mayfly" footbridge, Szolnok - design, construction and dynamic behaviour of the longest footbridge in Hungary

Following a period in which the governing factor was mainly functionality, bridges now seem to be returning to their role of shaping the urban landscape. In line with the change in traffic requirements and possibilities, we are experiencing a revival of the human-scale pedestrian/cyclist bridge as well. In a project supported by the European Union, the longest footbridge in Hungary - in Szolnok - was opened to traffic in January 2011. The total length of the crossing is 450 m, including a 120 m span steel arch over the River Tisza. Besides the description of the structure and its erection, this paper deals in detail with the examination of the pedestrian- and wind-induced excitations - the key issue in the design of lightweight, slender bridge structures.