Bridge Management Integrating Big Data of Structural Health Monitoring

Abstract

In bridge condition assessment, structural health monitoring (SHM) data can reduce the level of uncertainty in the operational loadings and structural responses, which increases the reliability of the evaluation, and the effectiveness of the management activities. Therefore, it has a potential to decrease the life-cycle cost of bridges. To realize the economic benefit of the SHM systems, a bridge management system (BMS) integrating big data of SHM collected continuously from the bridges is proposed in this paper. The BMS includes four modules: structural inventory, inspection/SHM/finite-element model (FEM), bridge condition assessment, and maintenance decision. The SHM data is utilized in module of bridge condition assessment, which derives a three-dimensional bridge condition rating system. The proposed methodology is expected to assist priority ranking of bridge management activities throughout the bridge’s life time.