Bridge monitoring that closes the gap between bridge inspections

They get a documented course for the period between two inspections instead of a snapshot. The measurement series shows whether a crack or moisture damage has changed, how quickly and in what relationship to temperature. This data feeds into the structural documentation and is available at the main inspection to DIN 1076. The assessment itself remains with the inspecting engineer.

Bridge monitoring refers to the continuous, sensor-based observation of a bridge structure. Where structural inspection to DIN 1076, the German standard for bridge inspection, provides a snapshot at fixed intervals, monitoring captures the development in between: crack widths, moisture, corrosion progress and tilt changes. This way you detect gradual changes before they would become visible at the next main inspection, and keep safety-relevant points permanently in view.

Infrasolute bridge monitoring captures the typical damage patterns on concrete and reinforced concrete bridges: growing cracks, penetrating moisture, reinforcement corrosion and changes in tilt or structural behaviour. A suitable sensor is used for each measuring task, from wireless crack monitoring to the energy-free moisture and corrosion sensor in the concrete.

Yes. The sensors are designed for retrofitting on existing structures. They transmit their readings via NB-IoT and do not require continuous cabling. Even remote or hard-to-reach areas such as bridge drains, low points and structurally critical locations can be economically included in the monitoring this way.

Continuous measurement data shows whether and how quickly damage is worsening. If a crack width stays stable over months, that speaks for longer safe use. If it increases, that is a reliable signal for the right refurbishment timing. This turns monitoring into a basis for decisions, instead of scheduling closures or refurbishments purely out of caution.

The sensors send their readings via gateways and mobile network into the cloud-based Infrasolute software. There, crack width, moisture, temperature and other parameters are displayed graphically, stored as history and assigned thresholds. Operators and inspecting engineers can retrieve the current condition online at any time and are alerted automatically when a threshold is exceeded.

Bridge monitoring is particularly useful for structures with a known damage pattern, for heavily loaded bridges with a high proportion of heavy goods traffic, and for structures that must remain safely in service until a planned replacement. Monitoring also provides evidence that measures are working during a refurbishment.