Bridge expansion joints monitoring system

Abstract

This paper describes a solution to decrease maintenance costs for the Éole Bridge expansion joints. The developed monitoring system is based on the analysis of the sound level and frequencies produced by the vehicles passing in these expansion joints, allowing an estimation of the joint overall structural damage. The system issue alerts to maintenance teams, improving their response time and preventing the increase of the damaged sections, leading to reduced maintenance costs and less road stopping time, and improving the quality delivered to the users of the bridge. The objective of the work presented was to make an adequate signal analysis in order to identify the progress of damaged sections in each inspected expansion joint.