The socio-economic benefits of fiber optic strain based SHM of critical infrastructure

Our ageing civil infrastructure is subjected to many challenges; most critically climate change and the associated demands in population growth. Structural health monitoring (SHM) systems can provide a means of predicting the safety and resilience of ageing civil infrastructure. The information provided from SHM enables a structure to communicate information on changes in regard to structural health, potential damage and deterioration. This paper focuses on the social, economic and environmental benefits of novel SHM systems and the post processing algorithms that can be utilized to provide key information for civil infrastructure including tunnels, docks, buildings, cranes, chimneys and embankments. There is a vital need to extend the safe working life of our civil infrastructure. The major aim of this research has been to develop SHM systems and post processing algorithms, in real time, which are integrated into existing infrastructure to extend their safe working life and deliver substantially improved asset value, reliability and resilience. This paper presents details of a number of key infrastructure SHM projects in Northern Ireland. Including an assessment of the social and economic savings which have been achieved through the implementation of strain based SHM systems on bridges within the primary road network. This paper presents details of a number of SHM projects in Northern Ireland and London including; Birches M1 Bridge SHM, King’s Bridge, Belfast; the Titanic Dry Dock and the Thames tideway tunnel, London.