Advanced Development of Sensor Systems for Monitoring the Structural Safety of Bridges

Road condition monitoring is a stated objective of TRP 93-025. Bridge safety is a major component of the nation's road infrastructure and is therefore of particular interest to the USDOT and the IVHS program. The Georgia DOE has agreed to participate with Strain Monitor Systems, Inc. to accomplish the tasks of the program. Phase I tasks will cover the design and development of peak strain and deflection-based instrumentation systems for monitoring the structural conditions of a number of bridges specified by the Georgia DOT. The technology offered is a unique modification of development accomplished under the sponsorship of the DOD and DOE and has far reaching dual-use applications. The instrumentation systems are intended to evaluate the local material response at specific points within a structure and to be used to estimate, among other things, the level of damage a structure has suffered and its resulting condition. The work will include structural analyses of the chosen sites, design of several sensor types, full static and dynamic tests on the prototypes, and investigation of site-specific system designs. Phase II will entail the fabrication and installation of prototype sensor systems. The project is expected to provide a full feasibility evaluation of the sensor technology. Anticipated Benefits: The work will provide the development and testing necessary to make reliable and economical instrumentation systems possible. These could include damage alarms for occupied structures, devices to block entrances to damaged tunnels or bridges, and automatic periodic inspection systems.