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Statistical analysis of stress spectra for fatigue life
assessment of steel bridges with structural health monitoring
data
Abstract
This paper aims at developing a monitoring-based method for fatigue life
assessment of steel bridges with use of long-term monitoring data of dynamic strain.
A standard daily stress spectrum is derived by statistically analyzing the stress
spectra accounting for highway traffic, railway traffic, and typhoon effects. The
optimal number of daily strain data for derivation of the standard daily stress
spectrum is determined by examining the predominant factors which affect the
prediction of fatigue life. With the continuously measured dynamic strain responses
from the instrumented Tsing Ma Bridge carrying both highway and railway traffic, the
proposed method is exemplified to evaluate the fatigue life of fatigue-critical welded
details on the bridge.

17 - Developing an
integrated structural health monitoring and damage prognosis (SHM-DP)
framework for predicting the fatigue life of adhesively-bonded composite
joints

Abstract
Fatigue-driven damage propagation is one of the most unpredictable failure mechanisms for a large
variety of mechanical and structural systems fabricated with lightweight composite materials
subjected to cyclic and/or random operational loads during their service life. In particular, the
adhesive joints, bonding together the various subassemblies of these types of systems, are widely
recognized as one of the most fatigue-sensitive structural components. In this perspective, the
present chapter discusses an integrated structural health monitoring and damage prognosis
framework capable of recursively predicting the time-varying reliability and remaining fatigue life
of adhesively-bonded composite joints. The proposed framework also sets the rational basis for
deploying a cost-efficient reliability-based inspection and maintenance plan for the system being
monitored.

Fatigue criteria for integrity assessment of long-span

steel bridge withhealth monitoring
Abstract
A structural health assessment (SHA) methodology is developed using data acquired from
structural health monitoring (SHM) system installed on long-span bridges. A set of fatigue criteria
has been proposed for pre-determining the global state of the bridge structure failure due to

fatigue. This involves finding the threshold of fatigue initiation, below which the rate of fatigue
damage may be undetectable under current technology or it is economically unfeasible. The stateof-art for large structures corresponds to the initiation of macro-cracks caused by the accumulation
of damage generated by actual service loads for the case of bridges. In what follows, consideration
is given to developing fatigue crack growth criterion based on the concept of the continuum
damage mechanics (CDM). Fatigue accumulative is included in the model where a fatigue limit for
multi-axial stress state is considered. The proposed criterion advocates the evolution of microcrack growth up to the stage of macro-crack formulation. Considered are the loading histories that
correspond to normal traffic loading for highways and railways, incidental or accident loadings such
as those caused by typhoons and effective environmental loadings. The potential sites of damage
are determined are discussed. The proposed criterion is applied to analyze the fatigue damage of
the Tsing Ma Bridge with online strain history data acquired by the SHM system that is permanently
installed in the bridge.

19 - Structural health monitoring of composite structures for durability

Abstract:
During the last decade, fiber-reinforced polymer composite materials have been increasingly
considered by infrastructure owners for extending the life of existing structures and increasing the
durability of new structures due to the advantages they offer over conventional materials.
Considering the wide variability of application, this chapter focuses on application of composites in
a relatively new arena, i.e., bridge structure applications. As owners start considering the life-cycle
costs for effective bridge management, these materials have potential for increased use in the
future. At the same time, structural health monitoring (SHM) is emerging as another tool that
bridge owners are more and more comfortable using to make decisions related to bridge
management activities. Given that composites are relatively new to the bridge industry, SHM has
great potential for use in a complementary fashion with composite materials. This chapter briefly
describes this complementary relationship with case studies.

Abstract
A new fiber-optic acoustic/vibration sensor has been developed and applied to structural
health monitoring. The sensor is based on a new theory Doppler effect in flexible and
expandable light-waveguide. A very high sensitivity is achieved in the extremely wide
frequency range. Principle, sensor configuration and sensitivity, measurement system and
damage detection in the reinforced concrete structural models were described in the present
paper. A new nondestructive evaluation (NDE) method for civil structural health monitoring
and diagnostics has been proposed.
Abstract

Statistical time series methods for vibration based structural health monitoring utilize random
excitation and/or vibration response signals, statistical model building, and statistical decision
making for inferring the health state of a structure. This includes damage detection,
identification (including localization) and quantification. The principles and operation of
methods that utilize the time or frequency domains are explained, and they are classified into
various categories under the broad non-parametric and parametric classes. Representative
methods from each category are outlined and their use is illustrated via their application to a
laboratory truss structure.
Abstract

Researchers and administrative authorities have long recognized the significance of

implementing long-term structural health monitoring (SHM) systems for civil infrastructures,
especially large-span space structures or other complex infrastructures, in order to secure
structural safety and issue warnings regarding the structural damage prior to costly repair or
even collapse. This paper starts with a critical review of SHM objectives and standardization
for the SHM in civil infrastructures. At the same time as an example, the authors present their
experiences through the case study of SHM applications for large and complex civil
infrastructures through a custom-made polytypic and synchronous data acquisition device
that was utilized in the SHM of the large-span gymnasium in Dalian. The paper concludes
with a discussion of state-of-the-art in the SHM for civil infrastructures, highlighting areas
where further work is needed.
The progress of the distributed fiber sensors based on Brillouin scattering has
been reviewed, the system limitation and improvement of spatial resolution
using the different signal processing schemes and the simultaneous monitoring
of temperature and strain have been summarized. The applications of distributed
Brillouin sensors for structural health monitoring are provided.
Abstract

This article demonstrates how unique local factors affect implementation of commitment
statutes and, consequently, the extent to which implementation supports fundamental
treatment philosophies. Four local variations in the implementation of Ohio's commitment
statute are examined with a methodology designed to describe commitment processes.
Qualitative case studies highlight factors that appear to contribute to variability across these
sites. The authors contend that this information can be used as a system management tool at
the state and local levels to (1) suggest needed changes in local service systems, (2) identify
specific options/interventions for effecting change in desired directions, and (3) assess the
extent to which changes affect commitment processes in predictable ways that are consistent
with philosophical principles.
Abstract

In this work we review the structural health monitoring techniques based on fiber Bragg
gratings. The working principle of the fiber Bragg gratings sensors and the most common
techniques to inscribe and interrogate these sensors are described. Several implemented
examples are also presented, like the deformation monitoring of one historical building with
reduced visual impact, the unidirectional acceleration measurements in a metallic bridge
structure and the bidirectional acceleration monitoring in a 50 m mobile telecom tower.
Finally, the implementation of an automated remote structural health monitoring system
design to operate with optical sensors in a highway bridge is described.
The obtained results prove the applicability of optical fiber sensors, namely fiber Bragg
gratings for structural health monitoring.
Abstract

Structural health monitoring (SHM) is a relatively new paradigm for civil infrastructure
stakeholders including operators, consultants and contractors which has in the last two
decades witnessed an acceleration of academic and applied research in related areas such as
sensing technology, system identification, data mining and condition assessment. SHM has a
wide range of applications including, but not limited to, diagnostic and prognostic
capabilities. However, when it comes to practical applications, stakeholders usually need
answers to basic and pragmatic questions about in-service performance, maintenance and
management of a structure which the technological advances are slow to address. Typical
among the mismatch of expectation and capability is the topic of vibration-based monitoring
(VBM), which is a subset of SHM. On the one hand there is abundant reporting of exercises
using vibration data to locate damage in highly controlled laboratory conditions or in
numerical simulations, while the real test of a reliable and cost effective technology is
operation on a commercial basis. Such commercial applications are hard to identify, with the
vast majority of implementations dealing with data collection and checking against parameter
limits. In addition there persists an unhelpful association between VBM and damage
detection among some civil infrastructure stakeholders in UK and North America, due to
unsuccessful transfer of technology from the laboratory to the field, and this has resulted in
unhealthy industry scepticism which hinders acceptance of successful technologies. Hence
the purpose of this paper is showcase successful VBM applications and to make the case that
VBM does provide valuable information in real world applications when used appropriately
and without unrealistic expectations.
Abstract

The goal of this contribution is to share some ideas that can bring heavier discussion among
the population of bridge researchers and engineers about SHM. For existing infrastructures,
an emphasis will be made on how critical the detection of the onset of corrosion as well as its
rate of proliferation within steels. In the case of new bridges, design and conception should
include smart materials and structures. Smart composites, that are integrating embedded
sensors, can bring significant advances in civil engineering applications. So is the case of
nano-sensors, that will surely offer additional valuable solutions in the mid-term future. The
issues related to standards in using composites in civil engineering are also addressed.
Abstract

While much of the technology associated with wireless smart sensors (WSS) has been
available for over a decade, only a limited number of full-scale implementations have been
realized for civil infrastructure, primarily due to the lack of critical hardware and software
elements. Using the Imote2, a flexible WSS framework has been developed for full-scale,
autonomous structural health monitoring (SHM) that integrates the necessary software and
hardware elements, while addressing key implementation requirements for civil
infrastructure. This paper discusses the recent advances in the development of this WSS
framework and extensions to structural control. Their successful implementations at full-scale
for SHM of the 2nd Jindo Bridge in South Korea and the Government Bridge at the Rock

Island Arsenal in Illinois, USA, as well as for wireless control of a lab-scale structure are
presented.
Abstract

Maintenance management of infrastructures has been one of the particular concerns of the
engineering community and responsibility of the citizens in Japan to deliver their heritages in
a sustainable performance to their next generation. In this paper, Structural Health
Monitoring Based Maintenance (SHMBM) aimed to reduce structures Life Cycle Cost
(LCC) is reviewed. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system equipped with ElastoMagnetic (EM) sensory technology to retrieve the actual stress structural information is
discussed. Finally, some examples of in-site applications are provided to illustrate the utilityreliability of the SHM system.
Abstract

Maintenance of air, land and sea structures is an important engineering activity in a wide
range of industries including transportation and Civil Engineering. Effective maintenance
minimises not only the cost of ownership of structures but also improves safety and the
perception of safety. Inspection for material/structural damage, such as fatigue cracks and
corrosion in metallics or delamination in composites, is an essential part of maintenance.
Abstract

This paper presents an investigation of using long-term static deformation measurements for
structural health monitoring (SHM) of Fei-Tsui dam, which is located in a very active seismic
zone of Taiwan. A modeling technique is developed to characterize the measured static
deformation, which is described as a function of the measured physical parameters, where the
water level and temperature are the two most important variables affecting dam deformation.
The developed modeling method integrates a linear least-squares technique and a nonlinear
least-squares process to identify a model by minimizing the residual error between the
identified model and the measured static deformation. The proposed modeling technique can
also be used for the prediction of the long-term deformation based on the measured water
level and temperature for SHM.
Abstract

The visual inspection routines mandated through the National Bridge Inspection Standards
(NBIS) implemented after the 1967 catastrophic collapse of the Silver Bridge have nearly
exclusively provided the framework for bridge management encompassing rehabilitation
planning and reconstruction scheduling. Over the years, despite the numerous revisions of the
NBIS to introduce special inspection procedures, such as for fracture critical and scour
susceptible structures, it is evident that the visual inspection program falls short of ensuring a
safe and efficient operational model for bridge management. All too often, imminent or
unforeseen collapse predates reconstruction efforts and consequently the public is subjected
to abrupt closures instead of anticipated and expediently scheduled rehabilitation projects.

Sensor-based non-destructive condition assessment and anomaly detection technologies have

long been proposed to supplement the limitations and subjectivity associated with the visual
inspection program to provide timely and quantitative evaluation of the structural health of
highway bridges. Presented is an overview of the role that intelligent transportation
infrastructure technologies are increasingly assuming within bridge management as well as
conceptual strategies for application of several monitoring approaches. Real-world field
response measurements are also presented to demonstrate the current capabilities, typical data
collection, and extraction of performance parameters from application of a wireless sensing
network platform utilizing both strain transducers and accelerometers. Lastly, identification
and localization of non-critical damage onset using a network of vibration sensors is explored
through system identification and response prediction using forward innovations.
Abstract

This paper presents a new development in structural health monitoring (SHM) data
management, processing, and mining based on compressive sensing (CS) technique, which is
an emerging signal processing technique. CS provides a new sampling theory to reduce data
acquisition based on the idea that sparse or compressible signals can be exactly reconstructed
from highly incomplete random sets of measurements. CS overcomes the restrictions of the
Shannon theorem regarding the sampling frequency, allowing the use of fewer sampling
resources, a higher sampling rate, and reduced hardware and software complexity to obtain
the measurements. In addition to data acquisition, CS also can be used to find the sparse
solutions for linear algebraic equations, which is useful for the inverse problem of SHM. In
this paper, the applications of CS for SHM are presented, including CS for acceleration data,
lost data recovery for wireless sensors, CS for acoustic emission data, moving loads
distribution identification, and structure damage identification. The investigation results show
that CS has good application potential in SHM.

Structural health monitoring of slab-column connections

using FBG sensors
Abstract

Health monitoring of reinforced concrete structures is a very important technique to maintain

structural integrity. Early detection of damage can save lives and costly repairs. The
information obtained from monitoring is generally used to plan and design maintenance
activities, increase the safety, verify hypotheses, and reduce uncertainty. The current research
is focused on the development and optimization of a structural health monitoring concept to
detect damage initiation for slab-column connections. The research objective is to detect,
localize and quantify flexural (service) cracks and shear cracks in slab-column connections.
The experimental program is divided into three phases. The first phase is focused on
detection of flexural cracks using embedded fibre Bragg grating (FBG) sensors. Detection of
flexural cracks includes the initiation of first crack as well as the initial crack width. The
second phase is focused on mapping of crack patterns using FBG sensors arrays. The last
phase of the experimental work includes detection and localization of shear cracks as well as

quantification of high compressive (bearing) zones using three-dimensional configuration of

FBG sensor arrays. The current research presents the first phase of the experimental work.
Test results revealed that embedded FBG sensors exhibited excellent performance and it was
able to monitor the width and location of the first crack.

Piezogenerated Elastic Waves for Structural Health

Monitoring
Abstract

The purpose of the presented study is to demonstrate experimentally the feasibility of

nondestructive damage detection by an array of piezotransducers embedded or bonded to the
surface of a monitored structure. This paper shows the results of experiments with
transmission of elastic waves among systems of piezotransducers surface-bonded to
aluminum and concrete plates, and embedded in a concrete block. Structural damages were
simulated by masses of various magnitudes placed at the surface of tested specimens, and by
drilled holes. Experimental results obtained so far indicate that there is a strong correlation
between the size and location of a simulated damage and the character of signals transmitted
among piezotransducers. Anomalies in those signals are repeatable and have distinct
characters when they are caused by a simulated damage and when they are due to other
causes. Piezotransducers used in this study were able to produce and receive signals well
above the noise level both when surface-bonded to aluminum specimens and when embedded
in a concrete block. The anomalies caused by simulated damages were significant enough to
be used for training a neural network.

Risk, Reliability, Uncertainties: Role and Strategies for

the Structural Health Monitoring
Abstract

In urban areas, severe hazardous scenarios can occur with nonnegligible frequency. Large
cities are complex systems, in which several complex subsystems interact. Some of the
interacting sub-systems are only slightly influenced by the others, but can impact heavily
themselves onto the others. The structures of civil and industrial constructions have such
nature. The vulnerability reduction and control is a task that shall be programmed in
condition of limited resources. Structural Condition Monitoring (CM) can help to manage it
efficiently. Most of the strategic constructions to which a monitoring system can be applied
are existing buildings, sometimes ancient, whose mechanical behavior is hard to assess due to
large uncertainties. A reliable monitoring application shall be robust and resilient itself.
Redundant distributed sensor networks, designed after an accurate risk analysis, shall have
reasonably low cost. Data management, damage assessment and model updating procedures
shall be stochastic and robust themselves. Holistic dynamics and multimodel optimization are
effective methods with common characters.