Abstract
Problem statement: Monitoring the health of transportation infrastructures is currently reliant on transportation maintenance teams. Scheduled and periodic inspections on most of the infrastructures are performed by manual and visual operations, which are generally time consuming and costly procedures. The use of the fiber optic sensor technology makes it possible to realize continuous, real time and automatic health monitoring for the transportation infrastructure. Approach: This article provided a tutorial introduction to transportation infrastructural health monitoring using fiber optic sensors. Since the topic spans many disciplines, our goal was limited to providing a basic conceptual framework. We began by reviewing the prerequisite topics from structural health monitoring and fiber optic sensors, including a brief review of point and distributed fiber optic sensor technologies. We then provided a comprehensive review of key fiber optic sensors which may be used in the transportation infrastructure monitoring. Results: Point fiber optic sensors were first discussed and then distributed fiber optic sensors. Performances of each sensor are discussed based on the transportation infrastructure monitoring application. Conclusion: We concluded the tutorial with a number of observations on the current directions of the research field of the fiber optic sensor for the transportation infrastructure health monitoring.
Highlights
The collapse of the Minneapolis Bridge has raised a public safety issue on the nation’s 73,784 bridges rated “structurally deficient” by the Department of Transportation (Arnoldy, 2007)
The damage detection enables a maintenance team to implement preventive plan to correct the structural deficiency and enhance public safety and avoid catastrophic disaster. They may estimate the lifetime span of the structure based on the measured data from the Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system
Particular emphasis will be given to multiplexed networks based on Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) for quasi-distributed measurements of parameters such as load, strain, temperature, and vibration
Summary
Johnson (2003) of the University of Southern California proposed an approach for bridge structural health monitoring based on variable stiffness and damping devices. The damage detection enables a maintenance team to implement preventive plan to correct the structural deficiency and enhance public safety and avoid catastrophic disaster. They may estimate the lifetime span of the structure based on the measured data from the SHM system. A typical SHM system, as illustrated, is composed of a network of sensors that measure the parameters related to the state of the structure and its environment For transportation infrastructures such as bridges, overpasses and tunnels, the most important parameters are: Positions, deformations, strains, pressures, accelerations and vibrations. The SHM system might be equipped with a wireless network for remote monitoring, control and alarm for effective system operations
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