Structural health monitoring – a risk-based approach

Abstract

Despite the significant advances in structural health monitoring (SHM) technology and the widespread use of monitoring in other industries, its use on bridges remains relatively limited. Bridge owners seem to consider that the cost and difficulty of installing and maintaining sensors and data acquisition equipment outweigh the potential benefits that might be gained. In addition, owners realise that monitoring and managing the data also requires resources. There is a difference in philosophy and approach when considering SHM on new complex bridges and on existing bridges. On new bridges, SHM can assist engineers validate design assumptions. On existing bridges, the use of SHM has typically been on a reactive, usually temporary basis, to address specific concerns. Some of the challenges surrounding the use of SHM, particularly on existing bridges, are examined in this paper and a new development in SHM that uses risk prioritisation as part of the wider asset management of bridges is described.