Numerical study on the optimal sensor placement for historic swing bridge dynamic monitoring

Bridge structures are very critical elements within a complex transportation system, and movable bridges are especially important because they provide an effective way for traffic to cross an active waterway granting passage to ships that would otherwise be blocked by the infrastructure. As a consequence, reliability assessment as well as health monitoring of movable bridge structures are challenging issues that deserve significant attention because structural failures or temporary out-of-service may have a tremendous socio-economic impact. In this perspective, the structural monitoring of movable bridge structures can support more reliable numerical simulations, thus increasing the consistency of the whole assessment process. Moving from these considerations, the present paper addresses the optimal sensor placement (OSP) for monitoring a historic swing bridge in Taranto (Italy) by means of dynamic measurements. First, the bridge structure and the structural model are briefly illustrated. Subsequently, the considered strategies for sensor positioning are presented. Comparative analyses are finally performed to support the experimental design for this special infrastructure. © 2014 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.