Structural Health Monitoring – A Risk Based Approach

Despite the significant advances in Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) technology and the widespread use of monitoring in other industries, its use on bridges has remained 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, there is a realization by owners 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 to validate design assumptions. On existing bridges, the use of SHM has typically been on a re-active, usually temporary basis, to address specific concerns. This paper will examine some of the challenges surrounding the use of SHM, particularly on existing bridges, and will also cover a new development of SHM that uses risk prioritization as part of the wider asset management of bridges.