Design and implementation of health monitoring systems for cable-stayed bridges (II): Implementations

Two structural health monitoring (SHM) systems for the Shandong Binzhou Yellow River Highway Bridge and Harbin Songhua River Bridge, respectively were designed and implemented by employing the design method proposed by the authors, presented in the proceeding article of two-paper in sequel. The system for the first case ran in real-time and the data were saved and downloaded at a website at any instant. While for the later case the system ran at regular intervals and only the database was permitted to be visited at the website. The frameworks of the health monitoring systems were first determined. Then, the type, location and performance of the sensors, the data acquisition module, wireless communication system, database, and system integration techniques were studied, determined and implemented. These systems have been running and collecting data since the bridges were open to traffic. The results indicated that the performance of the two systems has achieved the desired objectives. In addition, the performance of the optical fiber Bragg-grating sensors measuring the applied strain and temperature for long-term monitoring purpose even under -50°C and 50°C ambient temperatures was verified. The capacity of the microwave wireless communication system transmitting and retrieving data in real-time for the health monitoring system was also investigated.