Minimal Information Data-Modelling (MID) and an Easily Implementable Low-Cost SHM System for Use on a Short-Span...

Area of Science:

• Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Structural Health Monitoring

Background:

• Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) ensures structural safety and performance.
• Vibration-based monitoring is cost-effective but typically requires dense sensor networks.
• Logistical challenges limit vibration-based SHM application on short- and medium-span bridges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of Minimal Information Data-modelling (MID) for monitoring short- and medium-span bridges.
• To assess if MID can detect small frequency shifts indicative of structural damage.
• To demonstrate a cost-effective approach for widespread bridge network monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Proposed Minimal Information Data-modelling (MID) using low-cost, easily implementable sensors.
• Investigated the feasibility of MID for short- and medium-span bridge monitoring.
• Assessed the ability of MID data models to detect frequency shifts.

Main Results:

• MID data models reliably detected frequency shifts as low as 0.01 Hz.
• This detection level is comparable to shifts reported in bridge damage cases.
• The cost of data collection equipment was approximately £370.

Conclusions:

• MID is a feasible approach for monitoring short- and medium-span bridges.
• The accuracy of MID suggests its potential as a damage detection method.
• The low cost of MID enables network-wide bridge monitoring.