Webinar: Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Infrastructure Safety with Robust Vibration-based Monitoring

Abstract: The idea that the majority of bridges have reached the end of their service life has become widely accepted. The need for continuous monitoring of a large number of structures has become both a duty and a burden for administrations and operators. While technological advancements enable the acquisition of numerous structural parameters, effectively harnessing the vast amount of data generated is not a straightforward task. Therefore, an automated tool that can conduct end-to-end analysis with minimal effort and cost is crucial. The presented solution is applied to a monumental reinforced concrete arch bridge, and instrumented with tailored monitoring system, from sensors to the cloud-based dashboard. Modal parameters such as vibration modes, modal shapes, and damping are determined using the Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) algorithm, specifically 2 nd order blind identification, in an automated process. The analysis is performed through robust software for automatic modal identification, providing high quality results purified by any environmental effects. Finally, by enhancing the potential of the cloud for measurement data storage, the implementation of advanced data management tools is being considered as interesting emerging future prospects.

Bio: Giacomo Imposa is a structural engineer with a PhD in Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) from Iuav University of Venice, Italy, specializing in dynamic identification of masonry structures and bridges. His academic pursuits have primarily unfolded in Italy, with a notable stint in Portugal, in Guimaraes, where he was hosted by Prof. Lourenco, the most important expert in the world regarding Heritage buildings. At Kistler, since January, Giacomo has been globally engaged in advancing new bridge-related applications concerning structural monitoring in his capacity as a business developer. His responsibilities encompass the entire measurement chain, spanning from sensors to data, encapsulated through bridge reporting.