InTrans / Aug 14, 2018
Development of a Smart Timber Bridge Girder with Fiber Optic Sensors
Past timber bridge evaluation and maintenance efforts in the USA have principally focused on the internal integrity of timber components using various non-destructive evaluation tools to supplement visual inspection data. This project is part of a comprehensive effort to develop smart structure concepts for improving the long-term performance, maintenance, and management of timber bridges. This comprehensive effort focuses on developing an integrated turnkey system to analyze, monitor, and report on the performance and condition of the most commonly constructed timber bridge type in the USA, the longitudinal glued-laminated girder with transverse gluedlaminated bridge deck. This paper describes an initial project to develop techniques for integrating fiber optic sensors (FOS) within timber bridge glued-laminated beam components.