Enhanced Structural Health Monitoring of Civil Infrastructure by Observing and Controlling Loads using Cyber-Physical Systems

Abstract:

The goal of this research project is to create a scalable and robust cyber-physical system (CPS) framework for the observation and control of the functional interdependencies between bridge structures (stationary physical systems) and trucks (mobile physical agents).  Figure 1 shows the architecture of the proposed CPS framework for the observation and control of truck loads imposed on highway bridges.  While many accomplishments have been achieved during the first year of the project, this poster presents the CPS framework and its ability to observe the dynamic loads imposed by heavy trucks on highway bridges.  Vehicle-bridge interaction (VBI) is one of the primary factors that accelerate the deterioration of highway bridges over their life cycles. While significant work has been done on VBI analytically, less attention has been paid to experimentally capturing the dynamic loads imposed on bridges by heavy trucks. The proposed CPS framework seamlessly integrates a mobile wireless sensor network installed in a tractor-trailer truck to measure dynamic truck behavior with a stationary wireless monitoring system installed in a bridge to measure vibrations and strains. Time-synchronized truck-bridge response data is used as the basis for modeling the interactions between the truck and the bridge.  A two-stage subspace system identification modeling framework is proposed to create accurate input-output behaviors of the bridge response.  These state-space models will serve as the basis of control strategies used to control truck dynamics in order to minimize the consumed bridge health.  The Telegraph Road Bridge (TRB) in Monroe, Michigan is used as a validation platform.  

Figure 1: Architecture of the proposed CPS-based SHM system for infrastructure monitoring