Recent advancements in the monitoring of bridges using "smart" components

Making the transition to ultra-long bridge design life requires a paradigm shift in the way bridge maintenance is considered. In order to achieve a very long service life, the maintenance program must be carefully planned and strictly executed throughout the structure’s life. A bridge’s bearings and expansion joints experience the full effects of traffic and the environment throughout that service life, and can act as ideal “smart” components

– incorporating integrated sensors in order to continuously monitor the components’ own performance, and the structure’s overall performance, over time. Installation and testing of such sensors in factory conditions allows very high quality control, which cannot easily be matched on site. So-called “wear elements”, such as the sliding surface materials in bearings and expansion joints, will need to be replaced a number of times during a long service life, even when using the highest-quality materials available. Recognizing this fact, and incorporating monitoring systems that can track the deterioration of such elements and provide advance warnings for the owner, can result in efficient life-cycle planning of bridge maintenance, vital for major transport infrastructure. Recent developments and added value of such “smart” technologies are discussed.