Analysis of coordinated crowd vibration levels in a stadium structure

A stadium, when serving its intended purpose, attracts a crowd to participate in a common event. Whether the performers are athletes or musicians, crowd enthusiasm is an integral part of the event. Crowd enthusiasm can often result in stadium vibration. The more coordinated the crowd, the greater the motion. Using vibration monitoring, this study examines the implications of generating crowd enthusiasm by deliberately coordinating crowd movement. Several locations in a large football stadium were measured for vibration during several football games. Throughout these games, a portion of a popular song with a very enticing beat was played on the loudspeakers while the scoreboard flashed the word "BOUNCE." These particular incidences show a marked increase in vibration levels over the remaining typical activity. The experimental monitoring procedure and results will be discussed to draw attention to the potential for crowd-induced rhythmic motion during events other than concerts.