Skip to main content

Tattile part of Genoa bridge warning system 

WiM sensor and camera combination designed to prevent repeat of 2018's fatal collapse
By Adam Hill September 7, 2020 Read time: 2 mins
Tattile's cameras will help Genoa's San Giorgio bridge to remain safe for all users

Italian camera specialist Tattile has installed four cameras on Genoa's new San Giorgio Bridge as part of an improved structural monitoring system.

The old Morandi Bridge collapsed in August 2018, killing 43 people.

The new construction includes sensors beneath the platform to detect movements on the road deck, along with the Tattile Vega Basic cameras mounted above the bridge to monitor traffic flow and detect vehicle number plates. 

The idea is that this combination creates an early warning system regarding the bridge's stability and can be used to plan infrastructure maintenance.

The Tattile cameras are connected to a Weigh in Motion system designed by iWIM, which detects and records axle and gross weight of vehicles as they pass over a sensor integrated in durable steel plates on the road surface.

Data from the sensors and cameras is sent to a central server to give a clear picture of what is happening on the bridge at any time. 

Tattile says that while the old bridge was equipped with basic motion sensors under the road to detect movement of the deck, they were not able to trace the causes of the movements.  

"By integrating WiM technology with the combination of Tattile Vega Basic cameras on the new San Giorgio it is now possible to correlate structural deformations to the weight that weighs on the infrastructure, and to trace the weight load caused by individual vehicles crossing it," the company concludes.

Related Content

  • March 16, 2016
    Radar reinforces detection efficiency
    Radar can have distinct advantages in some transport-related situations as Colin Sowman found out during a visit to Navtech Radar. Despite tremendous advances in machine vision techniques, the accuracy and reliability of camera-based detection systems suffer during periods of poor visibility where other technologies may offer an alternative. Radar is one such technology. It too has seen significant development in recent years and according to Navtech Radar, the technology can often fulfil detection and moni
  • August 20, 2015
    New system to prevent Hazchem and over-height vehicles entering tunnel
    An impending move to free-flow charging prompted a search for automated dangerous goods identification and over-height detection systems at the Thames Crossing to the east of London. Manned toll booths are increasingly being consigned to history by the onslaught of all-electronic charging. However, a secondary function of the traditional manned plazas has been to prevent non-compliant vehicles using the facility or to tell a driver that that they need to use a specific lane or wait for an escort. Automating
  • September 15, 2016
    Øresund bridges the front line for border crossing traffic
    Timothy Compston considers the challenges faced by the operators of the Øresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden, the largest structure of its kind across Europe. In light of the concerns about the ongoing security threat and the unprecedented flow of migrants, many of the countries that make up the Schengen Area in Europe have re-introduced border controls. For its part, Sweden has rolled out ID checks for train, bus and ferry passengers from Denmark placing the landmark Øresund Bridge very much on the fr
  • November 18, 2014
    Cross referencing data sets reveals now decision support information
    Combining previously unrelated sets of data can provide an in-depth view of travel patterns. "Through the use of analytical tools, Urban Insights seeks to help transportation organisations benefit from the vast amounts of detailed data they collect every day.”