Lessons from monitoring the performance of highway bridges

Abstract

Monitoring programs on four very different highway bridges originating from a range of requirements related to calibration of numerical models, assessment of load capacity and long term tracking of performance are summarized in order to draw out lessons relevant to the future development of structural health monitoring ‘systems’. These lessons concern validation of structural models, appropriate methods for instrumentation, communication, data management and system identification. The paper presents experience obtained by collaboration in a form intended to educate, by example, bridge operators about potential and limitations of SHM systems.