An Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi research team has created an innovative method to use traffic data to track the condition of aging bridges. Eshwar Kuncham, a research scholar at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is part of the team lead by Dr. Subhamoy Sen, an associate professor.
According to a news release, the team’s study has addressed issues with fatigue-induced damage and the progressive degradation of bridges by concentrating on the most important regions rather of keeping an eye on the entire structure.
In order to identify the areas that are vulnerable to damage, it entails creating a digital model of the bridge. This model is a comprehensive virtual replica that is based on an initial study of the actual structure and forecasts how various traffic patterns will affect different parts of the bridge over time.
After that, important areas are equipped with fatigue-sensitive sensors to keep an eye on the bridge’s vibrations and stress. Experts may monitor the effects of traffic on the bridge over time with the use of real-time data and traffic patterns derived from the digital model.
Further, it also allows them to make the necessary adjustments to prevent any damage. Also, it enables rapid assessments after events like earthquakes or floods, aiding officials in making quicker safety decisions.
The approach particularly offers practical and efficient solutions to government agencies and transportation departments for managing aging infrastructure.
Dr Subhamoy Sen highlighted the practical benefits of the research and said that the approach focuses on monitoring only the critical zones of a bridge, significantly reducing costs and the need for extensive equipment.
“By leveraging traffic data, we provide real-time assessments and make timely interventions, ensuring bridge safety and longevity without major traffic disruptions,” according to him.
The study is noteworthy since it was published in the journal Structural Health Monitoring.
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Source: HT
