Detecting Anomalies in Structural Response of Cable Supported Bridges: After Extreme Events

The safety of cable‐supported bridges primarily depends on cable design, proper tensioning during construction, and regular maintenance. Over the past decade, numerous cable‐supported bridges have faced various issues, including aging, poor tensioning practices, coping with heavy traffic loads, insufficient maintenance, and exposure to accidents or extreme conditions. Despite these challenges, these structures often withstand such problems due to the inclusion of redundancy and alternative load paths in their design. Detecting anomalies in bridge monitoring data can aid in identifying potential issues. Typically, only specific cables are monitored in a cable‐supported bridge monitoring system. The conditions of non‐monitored cables are usually estimated based on the data from adjacent cable sensors. The structural response of the tower and the deck can also be indirectly estimated. This research aims to present a methodology for detecting anomalies in structural responses following extreme events. It is crucial to differentiate temporary changes in cable measurements caused by expected seasonal temperature fluctuations, regular winds, and normal traffic patterns from permanent changes resulting from extreme events. Additionally, one must consider that a permanent change in measurements might also occur due to sensor loss after an extreme event. The paper will discuss tools to form a detection that can identify whether the source of change is due to a real extreme event or not.