An Integrated Approach for Structural Health Monitoring and Damage Detection of Bridges: An Experimental Assessment

Abstract

The issue of monitoring the structural condition of bridges is becoming a top priority worldwide. As is well known, any infrastructure undergoes a progressive deterioration of its structural conditions due to aging by normal service loads and environmental conditions. At the same time, it may suffer serious damages or collapse due to natural phenomena such as earthquakes or strong winds. For this reason, it is essential to rely on efficient and widespread monitoring techniques applied throughout the entire road network. This paper aims to introduce an integrated procedure for structural and material monitoring. With regard to structural monitoring, an innovative approach for monitoring based on Vehicle by Bridge Interaction (VBI) will be proposed. Furthermore, with regard to material monitoring, to evaluate concrete degradation, a non-invasive method based on the continuous monitoring of the pH, as well as chloride and sulfate ions concentration in the concrete, is presented.