INTEGRATED STRUCTURAL HEALTH

MONITORING SYSTEMS FOR BRIDGES

To
National Capital Region Transport Corporation

www.smartec.ch
www.medulla-soft.com
Quick Agenda
o Our Structural Monitoring System (15-20 mins)
• What We do
• Our Expertise
• Case Studies
• SHM systems for various bridges
• Software Capabilities
• Sensor Technology

o Question & Answer Session (10-15 mins)

What we do

• Fiber Optic Sensors Monitoring systems

• Data Management
• Support services
Monitoring: A structure’s feelings

Pain Exams Diagnosis Cure

Monitoring Inspection Diagnosis Repair

What does SHM offer to owners?

A methodology to reduce uncertainty

about structural condition and
performance

A tool to take informed decision on

repair, replacement and
maintenance

Actionable information

6
 35-40 year old bridge , constructed by UPBCL
Heavy Traffic corridor
Heavy vibrations can be felt by standing on the bridge
Deformation Sensors Data Representation

6aT 6iT

6aB 6iB
6 Long Gauge Fiber Optic Sensors Data
Deflection profile estimated
using Deformation/Strain Data
 Deformation of the Beam
100

80

60 Deflection profile estimated

using Deformation/Strain Data
40

20
y(x)(mm)

-20

-40

-60

-80

-100
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Along the Beam
 Histogram Statistics over Midpoint Deflection
250
data1
x mean
x std

200

150
no. of events

100

50

0
-140 -120 -100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40
Deflection(mm)
 Box Plot of Strain Data on middle sensors
400

200

-200

Strain Value
-400

-600
Outlier Value: -958.4

Deformation at the Mid-point of the Beam Observation Row : 1436

80 -800 Group: 2

Distance To Median: -650.7666

Num IQRs To Median: -4.8519
60
-1000
1 2
40
Strain Sensors

20

0
Deflection(mm)

-20

-40

-60

-80

-100

X: 1436
-120 Y: -130.3

-140

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600

Time/Measurement No
Warnings

Pre-Warnings

User Definable Thresholds (Pre-warnings/Warnings)

 Load Testing of Old Kalwa Bridge, Thane
Old Kalwa Bridge, Thane

Pictures of Installation of sensors and Load test

from Kalwa bridge
 Load Testing of Old Kalwa Bridge, Thane
Old Kalwa Bridge, Thane
New I-35W St. Antony Bridge Minneapolis - USA

Simulation of user interface to display the data. The software is capable of displaying real-time
information and to color-code the measurments according to pre-defined warning levels
 New I-35W St. Antony Bridge
Minneapolis - USA
Results

Measurements over a period of

one week. Daily cycles due to the
bridge expansion and contraction
are clearly visible.

Day Night
4pm – 8am
Main Monitored Parameters

Primary monitored Additional monitored

Indirectly determined parameters
parameters parameters

• Average strain • Deformed shape • Testing of the bridge

• Shear strain • Prestress losses • Crack monitoring
• Curvature • Forces in concrete • Forces in strands
• Temperature • Relative vertical displacement during prestressing
• Temp. gradients • Relative horizontal • Relaxation and
• Inclinations displacement prestress losses in
• Rotations • Absolute displacement cables and/or strands
 Simple Beam – Possible Problem
 The aim of monitoring: Span A Span B Span C
prestress losses.
Line 1

 Solution: prestress losses

Line 2
change deformation in
concrete and this change is Line 3
captured by sensors. From
the deformation of the Line 4
sensors it is possible to Deck
determine the prestress Girder Girder Girder
losses. Symmetry makes
reasonable to monitor only
characteristic girders.
Simple Beam – Instrumentation
Side view A B
42 32 22 12 5
3
43 23

6 10

46 Strands 26 8
45 35 25 15 7

A B
Cross-section views

Cross-section B-B
Cross-section A-A
 Continuous Beam – Problem
 The aim of monitoring: Long-term structural monitoring with
accent on detection of unequal column settlements, rotations
and excessive vertical displacements due to rheologic
phenomena (creep and shrinkage) or cracking.
 Solution: The unequal settlements of columns, excessive
cracking or rheologic phenomena will generate change of
deformed shape of the beams and the change in vertical
displacement distribution. In addition, the redistribution of the
load will generate change in the strain field in the columns.
Sensors will measure all of these changes. Since the deformed
shape of the bridge and its vertical displacement distribution will
be known, it will be easy to localize and identify the sources of
the structural malfunctioning.
Cont. Beam – Instrumentation
Longitudinal view, left side of the bridge
A

Longitudinal view, right side of the bridge

C.M.P.

Cross-section view

Cross-section A-A
 Balanced Cantilever - Problem
 The aim of monitoring: Long-term structural monitoring with
accent on detection of excessive vertical and horizontal
displacement in the extremity of one central cantilever and
inclined cracks near the column. The excessive displacement is
mainly consequence of rheologic phenomena (creep and
shrinkage) and the inclined cracks are the consequence of
important shear forces.
 Solution: Three topologies of sensors are mixed: (1) parallel in
both horizontal and vertical plane, in order to determine deformed
shape of the cantilever, (2) crossed topology near the column in
order to monitor shear strain and (3) triangular topology in the
extremity of the cantilever in order to directly measure the relative
displacement of the influenced zone.
Bal. Cantilever - Instrumentation
Longitudinal section view, A-A
B
18

12
6
B 6 C.M.P.

70.0 m

Cross-section view

Cross-section B-B
 Arch – Problem
 The aim of monitoring: Whole lifespan monitoring including the
concrete early age and construction period. Control critical phases of
the construction such as (1) removal of formworks, (2) building of
columns and superstructure and (3) lowering of accessory columns
used to hold the arch during construction. After the construction is
completed, a load test of the bridge is also to be monitored. Long-term
structural monitoring during the service includes detection of excessive
changes in deformed shape due to load and rheologic phenomena,
and cracking.
 Solution: The parallel topology is used in vertical plane. The forces
are transferred from the superstructure to the arch via columns
therefore, each segment between the columns is equipped with three
cells of parallel sensors. These sensors will allow very good
interpolation of the average strain and curvatures in each segment,
allowing accurate determination of the deformed shape of the arch and
localization of potential problems.
Arch – Construct. (Problem, ctd)

2b

2a 2a
3
1 1
Supports removed
Arch “settles”
Arch – Instr. & Central. (left side)

14 6

Longitudinal section view, left side of the bridge

Top view, left side of the bridge

14 C.M
.P.
 Arch – Instr. & Central. (right side)
24 6

Longitudinal section view, right side of the bridge

6 16

C.M.P.

6 16
Top view, right side of the bridge
24 6 C.M.P.
 Cable Stayed – Problem
 The aim of monitoring: Long-term structural monitoring with accent
on detection of stress relaxation in cables or their malfunctioning.
Whole bridge is to be monitored including all the members, i.e. (1)
girders, (2) pylons, (3) cables and (4) columns.
 Solution for deck and cables: Two topologies of sensors are mixed:
(1) parallel in both horizontal and vertical plane, in order to determine
corresponding deformed shapes of members and (2) simple topology
in cables in order to determine the strain changes. Only the third cell
of each span is installed in the cable-anchoring zone. The first and
the last cells are installed as close to abutments as possible in order
to capture precisely the border conditions. Finally, the second and the
fourth cells are installed as close to the cable-anchoring zone
extremities (but not inside this zone) in order to early detect relaxation
or prestress looses in cables.
 Cable Stayed – Problem (continued)

 Solution for pylons: For pylons, the similar approach as in case of

deck is used, with exception that thy are split in four cells, and
however one cell more is to be installed in the cable zone (fourth
cell from the bottom of the pylon) in order to capture the border
conditions. Single sensor per cable is installed. These sensors can
be installed close to the girder or close to the pylon, depending of
accessibility. Every second cable is equipped with sensors. These
sensors will detect malfunctioning corresponding cables, while the
malfunctioning of other cables, without sensors, will be detected
indirectly by sensors in girders and pylons. Two Central
Measurement Points are proposed in order to (1) allow monitoring
during the construction period and (2) to reduce the costs.
 Cable Stayed – Instrumentation
1

4 8

C.M.P.

4 8

4 10 5 6 6 5 5 4
4 4 5 6 6 6 2
C.M.P.

4 8

4 8

10 4
6 6 5 6 6 6 5 4 4
4 5 5 2 C.M.P.
Cable Stayed – Instrument., ctd

C.M.P.
 Suspended – Problem
 The aim of monitoring: Long-term structural monitoring with accent
on detection of stress relaxation in cables or their malfunctioning.
Whole bridge is to be monitored including all the members, i.e. (1)
girders, (2) pylons and (3) cables.
 Solution for deck and cables: The sensors are surface mounted on
both walls of the deck and cables. They are embedded into the pylons.
Two topologies of sensors are mixed: (1) parallel in both horizontal and
vertical plane, in order to determine corresponding deformed shapes
of members and (2) simple topology in cables in order to determine the
strain changes. The position of the sensors is carefully selected
allowing detection and localization of malfunctioning in each of
monitored members. Since the distribution of the curvature in the deck
segment between the vertical cables is linear, parallel topology of
sensor is installed in each of them. This allows both (1) monitoring of
the deck behavior and (2) monitoring of the vertical cables behavior.
 Suspended – Problem (continued)

 Solution for cables and pylons: For the purposes of redundancy

and calibration, single sensors are installed in selected vertical
cables. Horizontal projection of the force in suspending cable is
constant along the cable. Vertical projection of forces in nodes must
be annulled, thus knowing the force in vertical cables it is possible to
determin the force in suspending cable. Consequently, in the sensors
are selected on suspending cable on both sides of the node.
The pylons are equipped with sensors in a similar way as in case of
the cable-stayed bridge and therefore they are not presented more in
details in this section. As in case of the cable-stayed bridge, two
Central Measurement Points are proposed in order to (1) allow
monitoring during the construction period and (2) to reduce the costs.
 Software Capabilities – Caution & Alarm
System
Database View screen shot

Sensor list.

Tab view with colors coding

for pre-warning and warning.

Map view with colors coding

for pre-warning and warning.

Plot view with pre -warning

and warning thresholds.
SOFO® View windows
 Possibility to upload a map of the
11.05.2002 11:15:00
structure
 One text box for each sensor
-0.017 -0.042

-0.033
 Possibility to locate the text box
-0.236 -0.211 -0.037

-0.021  Updated automatically after each

-0.235 -0.119
agenda
0.012
0.008
 May be saved as jpg, gif, wmf

-0.321 -0.219
-0.124 -0.041
12052002 13:27:00

-0022 -0024

 Pre-Warning and Warning -0251 -0235

-0061 -0060

indicated in different colors -0061

-0531 -0552
0031 0029 Warning
-0466 -0439
Pre-warning -0622 -0641
SOFO Pro: Example
SessionAverage
211002 15:27:48
F1 Force 1 Force 2 F2
100 100
Sn TOP
0.023
S1
S2 Sn Bottom h
-0.017

Ls L L0.5Konst

F1 F1  L   1  Moment1
F 2  L   2  Moment2
50 F2
50
Curvature
 L   Ls 2
h  s1  2  0.0159
Ls
2 Stiffness
EI  
2 3125112
SHMS Technical Solution
→ Reports
GUI screenshot example of AcTiMon sensor data visualization
SHMS Technical Solution
→ Reports
AcTiMon sensor data visualization in tabular fromat
SHMS Technical Solution
→ Reports
AcTiMon sensor acceleration data output
SHMS Technical Solution
→ Reports
GUI screenshot of DTS Distributed Temperature Sensing sensor – full bridge
SHMS Technical Solution
→ Reports
AcTiMon frequency range
Photos of Installation
Chain of FBG Deformation Sensor

SOFO Deformation Sensor

 Thermocouple

SOFO Sensor

Strands
35.7°
1.5 m
10.6 m
20.12 m
 Introduction to Fiber Optic Sensors
A Simplex cable is a tight-buffered Optical Fiber Glass reinforced with Kevlar fiber
strands and then covered with a PVC outer jacket
Types of Sensors – Interferometric
Deformation Sensor
Types of Sensors – Fiber Bragg Gratings
Strain Sensor
Sensor Specifications
 AcTiMon Accelerometer (Tri-axial) and
Inclinometer (Bi-axial) sensors

Accelerometers
 Range: ± 1.5 g (specially designed for
Civil Engineering application)
 Resolution: 50 µg
 Freq. Response: DC – 200 Hz
 Sample rate: 2000 SPS
 The Smartec Group has instrumented the largest number of bridges worldwide
 Salzachbruecke Mittersill – Austria
 Schladming Bridge – Austria
 Pont canal – Belgium
 Champlain – Canada
 Esplanade Riel – Canada
 Jacques-Cartier – Canada
 Joffre – Canada
 Laviolette – Canada
 Pont de l’Ile d’Orléans – Canada
 Pont neuf – Canada
 Peldar – Colombia
 Vecchio – Corsica
 Krk Bridge – Croatia
 Alexandre III – France
 Bourgogne – France
 Elorn – France
 Pont d’Aquitaine – France
 Pont de Normandie – France
 Terenez – France
 Viaduct Millau – France
 Baiersdorf Road bridge – Germany
 Lehrter Bahnhof Berlin – Germany
 Cable stayed bridge in Venice – Italy
 Colle Isarco – Italy
 Inabe – Japan
 Kameura – Japan
 Pont Adolphe – Luxembourg
 Tampico – Mexico
 Corgo viaduc – Portugal
 Giurgeni – Romania
 Bolshoi Moskvoretskiy Bridge –
RussiaMoscow Bridge – Russia
 Matarossa – Spain
 Arsta Bridge – Sweden
 Göeta Bridge – Sweden
 Traneberg Bridge – Sweden
 Bissone – Switzerland
 Curved concrete bridge in Lugano –
Switzerland
 Lully – Switzerland
• Lutrive – Switzerland
• Mezzovico – Switzerland
• Moesa – Switzerland
• OA402 – Switzerland
• Paudeze – Switzerland
• Siggenthal – Switzerland
• Thielle Bridge – Switzerland
• Vaux – Switzerland
• Vaux FBG – Switzerland
• Venoge – Switzerland
• Versoix – Switzerland
• Ke-Ya Bridge – Taiwan
• Shu-Yu Bridge – Taiwan
• Zhee Yen Bridge – Taiwan
• Dona Ana Bridge – New Mexico
USA
• Horsetail Fall – USA
• Moristown – USA
• New Mexico I10 Bridge – USA
• Rio Puerco – USA
• Vermont – USA
• Wotton – USA
© 2013 Lelantos Technologies – Confidential and Proprietary
© 2013 Lelantos Technologies – Confidential and Proprietary