Smart expansion joints of long-span bridges: self-evaluating by advanced monitoring system

This paper presents the installed structural health monitoring (SHM) systems of three long suspension bridges, which measure high-frequency movements, inclinations, temperature and vibrations and thus enable a proper understanding of the bridges’ behaviour to be developed. These case studies, based on both static and dynamic approaches, demonstrate the usefulness and ease of use of such systems, and the enormous gains in efficiency they offer over alternative manual monitoring methods. The availability of such systems has now led to the development of smart expansion joints: expansion joints that feature an integrated advanced monitoring system, already when fabricated.