Copy of NOVEL DATA MINING AND PERFORMANCE DIAGNOSIS SYSTEMS FOR STRUCTURAL HEALTH MONITORING OF SUSPENSION BRIDGES

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is a range of technologies that spans sensors, data collection, data storage and communication for tracking, presentation, and interpretation of live structural performance data. For civil structures (e.g. bridges, buildings, dams etc.) SHM is intended to provide structure operators and owners with the essential information they need to manage the maintenance, safety and operation of their structures effectively and efficiently. SHM is a rapidly growing international research discipline driven by the recognition in developed countries that priorities are switching from construction to maintenance and upgrading of infrastructure. There are clear indications of the need for an potential of SHM systems to assist infrastructure operators with information for decision making, but so far success stories in structural engineering are rare. In paticular in the UK, SHM has had a lack-lustre track record, due to past overselling and unrealistic exepctations. Experience in other applications, such as mechanical engineering has been more promising and there are now working technologies available, many of which rely on sophisticated interpretation of response data, or 'data mining'. This project focusses on the interpretive end of SHM with technology transfer from successful applications in mechanical engineering.Hence, the proposal aims to develop a leading edge capability in SHM of civil infrastructure at the University of Sheffield. It capitalises on key ingredients for success which are:-The experience of Professor Brownjohn in civil structure SHM gained through designing and operating several full-scale structural monitoring systems in UK and Singapore over the last twenty years-The expertise of Professor Worden in SHM applications to aerospace structures which have earned him international recognition-Access to a number of major structures in the UK and in overseas where there is a demonstrated need for application of SHM technology and-The strong research environment that supports a range of activities relating to full-scale structural performance.With access to structures such as Tamar and Humber suspension bridges in the UK and Fatih Bridge in Turkey, instrumentation systems will be created from scratch, upgraded or accessed to provide, in real-time, information about performance of these structures that can be related to numerical models calibrated by dynamic testing. The aim is to provide a real-time capability for diagnosis of key aspects of structural performance.