Development of an Innovative Bridge Monitoring System for Multi Disasters

Transportation infrastructure plays an important role in national development. With such unique geographic environment, bridges become the majority of transportation infrastructure and building the bridges is regarded as one of the most important public construction projects in Taiwan. However, Taiwan is also known as its natural disasters such as earthquakes and typhoons, which will cause severe damage or even destroy the bridges. For example, Houfeng Bridge was torn down by the flood in 2008. In 2009, another bridge – Shuangyuan Bridge – was also destroyed by debris flow. Several lives were lost in these two accidents. Therefore, it is in doubt that traditional Bridge Monitoring System (BMS) could provide sufficient real-time information to competent authorities. In order to mitigate the damage or even prevent any loss of property or life from the disasters, an innovative BMS based on Wireless System Network (WSN) technology is studied and applied for field applications. For the purpose of providing real-time information to competent authorities, an information management platform will also be developed to work with the monitoring system.