Development and Verification of Web-Based Bridge Monitoring Interface

With the advancement of many off-the-shelf data acquisition systems readily available today and the availability of 3G and 4G high-speed wireless cellular networks, the potential for remote monitoring of critical bridges has never been better. Needs exist regarding scour and general structural response for long-term monitoring. However, short-term monitoring using quickly deployable, rugged systems are also desirable in cases where impact, fire, environmental effects, or other damage...
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With the advancement of many off-the-shelf data acquisition systems readily available today and the availability of 3G and 4G high-speed wireless cellular networks, the potential for remote monitoring of critical bridges has never been better. Needs exist regarding scour and general structural response for long-term monitoring. However, short-term monitoring using quickly deployable, rugged systems are also desirable in cases where impact, fire, environmental effects, or other damage may occur. These robust systems can be deployed rapidly, and endure harsh elements, enabling DOTs to constantly assess and monitor a structure, or a network of structures. Hence, the objective of this project is to explore the feasibility and proof of concept of using a web-based bridge monitoring interface for use on selected INDOT bridges for both short-term and long-term applications. This report will focus on a single case study, the Virginia Ave Bridge over I-65 SB, a steel plate girder bridge that frequently falls victim to truck impact as a result of low clearance. This case study is uniquely different and provides insight into how targeted instrumentation systems can be used to probe specific parameters desired by owners for bridge condition assessment and monitoring. It will be shown how commercially available instrumentation systems can be tailored to fit any unique application required. Additionally, it will be demonstrated that INDOT benefited from this specific case of field-deployed, short-term monitoring, which included automated notifications of critical onsite conditions.