A Novel Elastomer-Based Inclinometer for Ultrasensitive Bridge Rotation Measurement

Area of Science:

• Civil Engineering
• Structural Health Monitoring
• Instrumentation and Measurement

Background:

• Bridge deformation, including cross-section rotation and deflection, is vital for assessing structural capacity and detecting damage.
• Rotation measurement is more practical for in-situ monitoring than deflection due to the availability of bridge piers as reference points.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conceptualize, design, and validate a high-precision inclinometer specifically for measuring bridge rotation.
• To develop a cost-effective and accurate method for in-situ bridge rotation monitoring.

Main Methods:

• A novel inclinometer design converts small bridge section rotations into measurable elastomer deformation.
• Strain gauges are employed to quantify elastomer deformation, enabling calculation of bridge rotation.
• Theoretical analysis guided the selection of elastomer dimensions and material properties.
• Laboratory calibration and in-situ experiments on an operational bridge were performed to validate the inclinometer's performance.

Main Results:

• The developed inclinometer demonstrated high precision and accuracy in both laboratory and field tests.
• In-situ experiments confirmed the device's feasibility and robustness for real-world bridge health monitoring applications.
• The inclinometer successfully measured bridge section rotation with excellent resolution.

Conclusions:

• The proposed high-precision inclinometer offers a promising solution for effective bridge health monitoring.
• The device's accuracy and reliability suggest significant potential for widespread adoption in structural assessment.
• This technology facilitates convenient in-situ measurement of bridge rotation, enhancing structural safety evaluations.