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Digital Roads: New Potentials for Assessing the Structural Behaviour of Steel and Composite Bridges
Author(s) -
Kraus Matthias,
Wittor Björn
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
ce/papers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2509-7075
DOI - 10.1002/cepa.1040
Subject(s) - structural health monitoring , bridge (graph theory) , automation , digitization , computer science , structural system , engineering , transport engineering , risk analysis (engineering) , construction engineering , civil engineering , structural engineering , telecommunications , mechanical engineering , medicine
The maintenance management of bridges requires a comprehensive analysis of loads and load capacities as well as the detection of any damage. Nowadays, sensor systems are available to measure certain reactions of structures for capturing the structural behaviour. In order to obtain an overview on the overall performance, extensive information is required on the loads acting to the structure during the measuring time and at best the whole lifecycle (weight, position, speed, acceleration). However, traffic monitoring does not cover all relevant data. Due to digitization and automation, more and more cars are equipped with extensive sensor systems and in future, sensors may also be integrated in roads and road‐side units. By networking all systems, that is the monitoring system of a structure with car and road sensor systems, it is possible to obtain new information. It would for instance be possible to inform vehicles about the road situation ahead and, secondly, the structure about approaching vehicles and corresponding stress states. Thus, it is also possible to develop prognosis programs revealing the building reaction to higher traffic densities or extreme situations and initiate any preventions which avert or mitigate the situation. In addition, more precise predictions on the structural health of a bridge regarding fatigue influences and life expectancy are possible. In this contribution, new potentialities for steel and composite bridges are presented focusing on benefits of certain sensor‐systems integrated in roads.