Rhode Island Launches Vast WIM System on Washington Bridge
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Rhode Island is installing a weigh-in-motion system on the Washington Bridge in Providence, using advanced technology to monitor the structural health of the aging but vital connector.
The Washington Bridge is undergoing upgrades that include the removal and replacement of its north span. To manage increased traffic on the south span during construction, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation has partnered with Kistler, a measurement technology company, to implement monitoring systems.
Kistler’s Structural Health Monitoring and WIM systems will provide RIDOT with real-time data for proactive maintenance of the bridge. The installation will feature 40 Lineas digital quartz sensors covering 10 lanes, making it the largest WIM site globally, according to a release about the project. The technology includes accelerometers, strain gauges, temperature sensors and inclinometers to detect potential issues.
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“Bridges talk to us,” said JT Kirkpatrick, head of sales for traffic solutions at Kistler. The WIM sensors, he said, have the ability to “hear and interpret every sound, even nearly inaudible ones, emitted from a bridge that signal structural distress. This will enable us to work with RIDOT to proactively monitor the bridge’s structural health in real time so they can take action to preserve this vital structure.”
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The SHM system is tailored to assess the south span, which currently bears additional traffic from the ongoing north span construction. Real-time data assessments will allow RIDOT to address emerging issues immediately, the release said.
The WIM system includes digital quartz sensors beneath the roadway, charge amplifiers to condition electrical signals and data loggers to process real-time information. It also features license plate recognition cameras to classify and monitor vehicles, particularly trucks, for overweight loads that could stress the bridge.
As the project progresses, the integrated SHM and WIM systems will enable RIDOT engineers to make early decisions about bridge maintenance that could help reduce longer-term repair costs.
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