Field deployment of a dense wireless sensor network for condition assessment of a bridge superstructure (original) (raw)
Related papers
SPIE Proceedings, 2008
With the increased demand placed on aging infrastructure, there is great interest in new condition assessment tools for bridges. The routine deterioration that bridges undergo causes a loss in the intended performance that, if undetected or unattended, can eventually lead to structural failure. Currently the primary method of bridge condition assessment involves a qualitative bridge inspection routine based on visual observations. Discussed in this paper are methods of insitu quantitative bridge condition assessment using a dense wireless sensor array. At the core of the wireless system is an integrated network which collects data from a variety of sensors in real-time and provides analysis, assessment and decision-making tools. The advanced wireless sensor system, developed at Clarkson University for diagnostic bridge monitoring, provides independent conditioning for both accelerometers and strain transducers with high-rate wireless data transmission in a large-scale sensor network. Results from a field deployment of a dense wireless sensor network on a bridge located in New York State are presented. The field deployment and testing aid to quantify the current bridge response as well as demonstrate the ability of the system to perform bridge monitoring and condition assessment.
Development of a wireless bridge monitoring system for condition assessment using hybrid techniques
Sensor Systems and Networks: Phenomena, Technology, and Applications for NDE and Health Monitoring 2007, 2007
The introduction and development of wireless sensor network technology has resulted in rapid growth within the field of structural health monitoring (SHM), as the dramatic cable costs associated with instrumentation of large civil structures is potentially alleviated. Traditionally, condition assessment of bridge structures is accomplished through the use of either vibration measurements or strain sensing. One approach is through quantifying dynamic characteristics and mode shapes developed through the use of relatively dense arrays of accelerometers. Another widely utilized method of condition assessment is bridge load rating, which is enabled through the use of strain sensors. The Wireless Sensor Solution (WSS) developed specifically for diagnostic bridge monitoring provides a hybrid system that interfaces with both accelerometers and strain sensors to facilitate vibration-based bridge evaluation as well as load rating and static analysis on a universal platform. This paper presents the development and testing of a wireless bridge monitoring system designed within the Laboratory for Intelligent Infrastructure and Transportation Technologies (LIITT) at Clarkson University. The system interfaces with low-cost MEMS accelerometers using custom signal conditioning for amplification and filtering tailored to the spectrum of typical bridge vibrations, specifically from ambient excitation. Additionally, a signal conditioning and high resolution ADC interface is provided for strain gauge sensors. To permit compensation for the influence of temperature, thermistor-based temperature sensing is also enabled. In addition to the hardware description, this paper presents features of the software applications and host interface developed for flexible, userfriendly in-network control of and acquisition from the sensor nodes. The architecture of the software radio protocol is also discussed along with results of field deployments including relatively large-scale networks and throughput rates sufficient for bridge monitoring.
A Wireless Sensor Network-Based Structural Health Monitoring System for Highway Bridges
Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, 2013
An integrated structural health monitoring (SHM) system for highway bridges is presented. The system is based on a customized wireless sensor network platform with a flexible design that provides a variety of sensors typical in SHM. These sensors include accelerometers, strain gauges, and temperature sensors with ultra-low power consumption. An S-Mote node, an acceleration sensor board, and a strain sensor board are developed to satisfy the requirements of bridge structural monitoring. Communication software components are integrated within TinyOS operating system to provide a flexible software platform whereas the data processing software performs analysis of acceleration, dynamic displacement, and dynamic strain data. The prototype system comprises a nearly linear multi-hop topology and is deployed on an in-service highway bridge. Data acquired from the system are used to examine network performance and to help evaluate the state of the bridge. Experimental results show that the system enables continuous or regular interval monitoring for in-service highway bridges. C 2012 Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering.
Sensor Network for Structural Health Monitoring of a Highway Bridge
Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, 2010
A bridge monitoring TestBed is developed as a research environment for sensor networks and related decision-support technologies. A continuous monitoring system, capable of handling a large number of sensor data channels and three video signals, is deployed on a four-span, 90-m long, reinforced concrete highway bridge. Of interest is the integration of the image and sensor data acquisition into a single computer, thereby providing accurate time synchronization between the response and corresponding traffic loads. Currently, video and acceleration records corresponding to traffic induced vibration are being recorded. All systems operate online via a high-speed wireless Internet network, allowing real-time data transmission. Elements of the above health monitoring framework are presented herein. Integration of these elements into an automated functional system is emphasized. The recorded data are currently being employed for structural system identification via a model-free technique. Effort is also underway to correlate the moving traffic loads with the recorded accelerations. Finally, the TestBed is available as a resource for verification of new sensor technologies, data acquisition/ transmission algorithms, data mining strategies, and for decision-support applications.
Structural Health Monitoring of Bridges Using Wireless Sensor Network
Applied Mechanics and Materials, 2011
Structure monitoring brings new challenges to wireless sensor network: high-fidelity sampling, collecting large volume of data, and sophisticated signal processing. New accelerometer board measures tens of G acceleration. High frequency sampling is enabled by new component of David Gay. With new component, up to 6.67KHz sampling is possible with jitter less than 10s. Large-scale Reliable Transfer (LRX) component collects data at the expense of 15% penalty of channel utilization for no data loss. To overcome low signalto-noise ratio, analog low-pass filter is used, and multiple digital data are averaged. Structure monitoring is a driving force for extending capability of wireless sensor networks system.
Damage Detection of Bridge Using Wireless Sensors
2012 IFAC Workshop on Automation in the Mining, Mineral and Metal Industries, 2012
Bridges are essential links in any surface transportation network. A damage to an important bridge may result in enduring economic loss due to partial or complete closure of the route in addition to the cost of repair or replacement. Also, survival of bridges are of utmost importance in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake in order to facilitate rescue operations. Therefore, it has become customary to carry out a critical assessment of safety and integrity of bridges in regular intervals as well as immediately after disastrous events such as an earthquake. The prevalent practice of bridge inspection requires checking of each and every component, which is experience-based, highly time consuming and an expensive process, often enforcing disruption in traffic flow. As a result, the wireless sensor-based inspection methodology is gaining popularity in recent times. This paper a presents a study to show the efficiency of a multi-hopped wireless sensor network (WSN) for remote health monitoring of bridge. Various vibration-based and feature-based output-only damage detection techniques are applied to show their efficacy in terms of determining the location and severity of damages using the data collected from the bridge under damaged and undamaged conditions.
Development of a Rapidly Deployable Wireless Monitoring System for Bridges
2012
As the population of highway bridges ages, the labor-intensive practice of visual inspections becomes an increasing burden for resource limited agencies. However, recent developments in wireless technology, low power electronics, and graphical software make effective and useful real-time monitoring of bridges economically feasible. This paper describes a multi-year research and development project to investigate and develop a complete monitoring system that can be easily deployed and used to augment scheduled visual inspections with real-time sensor data and fatigue analysis. A key hardware component of the system is a new lowpower wireless data acquisition device that works with conventional resistive strain gages has been developed to perform real-time strain monitoring and fatigue analysis. The research team developed an innovative measurement architecture that is optimized for low power operation while providing flexibility to the user to tradeoff power consumption for measureme...
Highway Bridge Assessment Using an Adaptive Real-Time Wireless Sensor Network
IEEE Sensors Journal, 2009
A real-time wireless sensor network platform capable of maintaining lossless data transmission over several minutes of continuous, high-rate sampling is presented in this paper. The platform was designed specifically to provide the capability to enable expeditious system identification as well as load rating of highway bridges without compromising the typical data acquisition parameters employed in comparable cable-based tests. Consequently, the hardware signal conditioning interface permits data collection from a variety of sensors typical to structural health monitoring, including accelerometers, strain transducers, and temperature sensors. The embedded software features a proprietary network transmission protocol capable of lossless, real-time delivery of up to forty measurement channels at an effective sampling rate of 128 samples per second per channel. Documented in this paper is a field study on an end-ofservice highway bridge in which ambient vibration monitoring was performed using 60 accelerometers interfaced with 30 wireless sensor nodes operating within one of two simultaneously operating star topology networks. In addition, an experimental load rating of the entire structure was performed through largescale strain measurement facilitated by the same wireless sensor network platform.
Wireless vibration monitoring for damage detection of highway bridges
Smart Sensor Phenomena, Technology, Networks, and Systems 2008, 2008
The development of low-cost wireless sensor networks has resulted in resurgence in the development of ambient vibration monitoring methods to assess the in-service condition of highway bridges. However, a reliable approach towards assessing the health of an in-service bridge and identifying and localizing damage without a priori knowledge of the vibration response history has yet to be formulated. A two-part study is in progress to evaluate and develop existing and proposed damage detection schemes. The first phase utilizes a laboratory bridge model to investigate the vibration response characteristics induced through introduction of changes to structural members, connections, and support conditions. A second phase of the study will validate the damage detection methods developed from the laboratory testing with progressive damage testing of an in-service highway bridge scheduled for replacement. The laboratory bridge features a four meter span, one meter wide, steel frame with a steel and cement board deck composed of sheet layers to regulate mass loading and simulate deck wear. Bolted connections and elastomeric bearings provide a means for prescribing variable local stiffness and damping effects to the laboratory model. A wireless sensor network consisting of fifty-six accelerometers accommodated by twenty-eight local nodes facilitates simultaneous, real-time and high-rate acquisition of the vibrations throughout the bridge structure. Measurement redundancy is provided by an array of wired linear displacement sensors as well as a scanning laser vibrometer. This paper presents the laboratory model and damage scenarios, a brief description of the developed wireless sensor network platform, an overview of available test and measurement instrumentation within the laboratory, and baseline measurements of dynamic response of the laboratory bridge model.
IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 2017
There are over 8000 bridges in the Philippines today according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Currently, visual inspection is the most common practice in monitoring the structural integrity of bridges. However, visual inspections have proven to be insufficient in determining the actual health or condition of a bridge. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) aims to give, in real-time, a diagnosis of the actual condition of the bridge. In this study, SmartBridge Sensor Nodes were installed on an existing concrete bridge with American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Type IV Girders to gather vibration of the elements of the bridge. Also, standards on the effective installation of SmartBridge Sensor Nodes, such as location and orientation was determined. Acceleration readings from the sensor were then uploaded to a server, wherein they are monitored against certain thresholds, from which, the health of the bridge will be derived. Final output will be a portal or webpage wherein the information, health, and acceleration readings of the bridge will be available for viewing. With levels of access set for different types of users, the main users will have access to download data and reports. Data transmission and webpage access are available online, making the SHM system wireless.