Unique Structural Health Monitoring and Weigh In Motion portfolio from Kistler

Overweight trucks, extreme weather, cracking, and corrosion are just a few of the factors affecting bridge infrastructure and its shortened lifespan. Kistler has now developed its unique Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) portfolio. The comprehensive system automatically monitors the bridge structures on a 24/7 basis, continuously measuring and tracking the actual structural resistance of the bridge and the real traffic load as reported by the integrated WIM system. This way, it detects even the smallest structural movements and vibrations as they occur and before they cause more serious damage. Structural engineers and road operators are constantly informed of the relevant data and are notified immediately via notifications and alarms.

From sensor to cloud – most reliable and continuous bridge monitoring

The customized SHM system provides seamless availability of highly reliable bridge structural data, thanks to the unmatched accuracy and performance of its acceleration sensors from the K-Beam family. The quality of the results depends on the sensitivity, frequency range, temperature stability, and signal-to-noise ratio of the sensors, as well as on the performance of the data acquisition system. Accelerometers from Kistler are specifically designed to withstand even the most extreme weather conditions. In addition to precise sensors, the turnkey solution consists of the KiDAQ data acquisition system and a cloud-based software platform.

Weigh In Motion for increased bridge safety

The KiTraffic Digital Weigh In Motion (WIM) system detects overweight trucks on the road at any speed and in real time as they pass. Overweight vehicles are easily identified and can either be automatically fined, stopped and forced to unload, or diverted to an alternative route. All these measures ensure a highly effective protection of both pavement and bridge.

The advanced KiTraffic Digital platform harnesses the power of digitalization: the complete system provided by Kistler is based on several rows of Lineas Digital sensors installed in the road and a proprietary data acquisition and processing system installed in the roadside cabinet. The unique piezoelectric quartz crystals provide extreme measuring accuracy, with a weighing precision of up to +/- 2 percent for the gross vehicle weight.