Title

Structural Health Monitoring Of Bridges: Fundamentals, Application Case Study And Organizational Considerations

Abstract

The Florida Department of Transportation owns and operates the largest number of movable bridges in the U.S. The 98 movable bridges in Florida are complex structures utilizing machinery to open a portion of the bridge allowing for the passage of waterborne traffic. The majority of the movable bridges in Florida are of the bascule type, having interior spans called "leaves" that rotate upward and away from the centerline of the waterway thus providing clear passage. Movable bridges are commonly used over the waterway especially in flat terrain. These bridges also present significant drawbacks and problems associated with the operation and performance. Movable bridge rehabilitation and maintenance costs are considerably higher than that of a fixed bridge. Deterioration is a concern since they are located over waterways, and often close to the coast, which constitute conditions suitable for corrosion, causing section losses. Deterioration and damage is also observed due to moving parts, friction and wear and tear of the structural and mechanical components. Fatigue can be a problem due to the reversal or the fluctuation of stresses as the spans open and close. If there are breakdowns, these cause problems for both, land and maritime traffic. Maintenance costs associated with the operation system and mechanical parts require special expertise, and may cause extensive repair work. Finally, difficulty in repair works is an issue for movable bridges. A minor or major malfunction of any component can cause an unexpected failure of bridge operation. Electrical and mechanical problems may require experts and may be difficult and time consuming to fix. © 2009 ASCE.

Publication Date

9-14-2009

Publication Title

Proceedings of the 2009 Structures Congress - Don't Mess with Structural Engineers: Expanding Our Role

Number of Pages

108-118

Document Type

Article; Proceedings Paper

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1061/41031(341)12

Socpus ID

69949156562 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/69949156562

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS