BDI Bridge Fatigue Monitoring System

Products

Monitor Standard Truck Traffic

Bridge Diagnostics Inc. supplies turn-key monitoring systems for tracking live-load stress fatigue cycles on bridges and other civil structures. BDI configures the hardware and software so that the engineer can concentrate on evaluating data rather than spending time learning and developing data acquisition systems and programs. Depending on the application, entire response histories can be captured and stored for overloaded vehicle crossings, or, stress cycle counts can be recorded for specified ranges using the ASTM "Rainflow" algorithm. Data can be downloaded and remotely viewed in real time or stored on a periodic basis. Standard BDI Fatigue Monitoring Systems are based on the reliable and robust CSI CR5000 datalogger configured to read up to 20 BDI Strain Transducers.

BDI Strain Transducer

When we supply these systems, one key aspect of our approach is to help the customer determine the most efficient and cost effective instrumentation plan since collecting more data is not always necessarily better. In fact, sometimes it can be a detriment! If required, BDI can also help install the system and provide training so that the owner can monitor, download, and analyze the data themselves for the duration of the testing period.

Applications

Highway Bridges: Monitor for overloaded vehicles
Railroad Bridges: Count fatigue cycles due to daily train traffic
Hydraulic Control Structures: Monitor for unintended responses in tainter gates, lift gates, and miter gates.
Other Civil Structures: Capture live load responses during construction or transporting large loads.

Highlights

BDI-FMS mounted in semi-
permanent cabinet.
Other enclosure options
available.

Record Responses Under Normal Live Load Conditions: System is set to trigger at a selected stress level to capture live load responses.
Low Cost and Low Maintenance: All hardware is very rugged and has been field-proven to be reliable, even in harsh conditions.
Sensors are Entirely Re-Usable: The BDI Strain Transducers can be attached with adhesive for short-term testing or permanently mounted with anchor bolts or welding for longer-term investigations.
Stand-Alone Capability: The BDI-FMS can use its own cellular phone for communications and solar panels for power.

Rugged aluminum covers protect
transducers for
long-term monitoring

Features

Software is delivered pre-configured for the particular application
Options to capture pre- and post-event data
User can set event trigger levels on individual or multiple channels
Add accelerometer sensors to capture dynamic vibration data for modal analysis
Add a cellular modem to connect remotely to download data and view data real-time
Sensors and system are completely re-usable

Monitor responses due to permit loads.

Typical stress histogram for multi-girder bridge

Technical Specifications