Dr John Macdonald

Research summary

My research deals with the dynamic behaviour of structures, including dynamic loading mechanisms and vibration suppression strategies. I have a particular focus on wind and human-induced vibrations, and applications to slender structures such as long-span bridges and cables, including nonlinearity. Much of this work addresses dynamic interactions, for example between different structural components, fluid-structure interactions and human-structure interactions. Methods include analytical and numerical analysis along with full-scale testing and laboratory experiments.

Human-structure interaction

•   Pedestrian-induced vibrations of bridges, such as on the London Millennium Bridge (see press articles on this research from The Times and BBC).
•   Biomechanical modelling of human gait ...

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Biography

I graduated from Cambridge University in Engineering Science with first class honours and was awarded the Institution of Civil Engineers’ student prize for Cambridge. After 4 years in industry with Scott Wilson (now part of URS), principally working in structural design, I came to the University of Bristol as a Research Assistant in structural dynamics.

My PhD was based on full-scale dynamic measurements of the Second Severn Crossing cable-stayed bridge. Part of this work directly contributed to a vibration mitigation solution for the bridge, which had experienced large amplitude vortex-induced vibrations when first constructed. A journal paper describing this work ...

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Selected publications

• Macdonald, J 2009, ‘Lateral excitation of bridges by balancing pedestrians’. Proc. Royal Society A, vol 465(2104)., pp. 1055 - 1073
• Bocian, M, Macdonald, JHG & Burn, J 2013, ‘Biomechanically-Inspired Modelling of Pedestrian-Induced Vertical Self-Excited Forces’. Journal of Bridge Engineering.

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View complete publications list in the University of Bristol publications system