Bridge condition sensor

LifeSpan Technologies, a specialist in advanced structural condition assessment solutions for civil infrastructure, has announced the commercial availability of its newest PeakStrain sensor, allowing rapid and accurate evaluation of bridge conditions after a seismic event.
February 6, 2012 Read time: 1 min
2269 LifeSpan Technologies, a specialist in advanced structural condition assessment solutions for civil infrastructure, has announced the commercial availability of its newest PeakStrain sensor, allowing rapid and accurate evaluation of bridge conditions after a seismic event.

Visual inspection techniques have been used to assess the condition of bridges for decades, both in the US and many other countries. However, engineers in the US and Japan know that visual inspection is subjective, highly variable, and not sufficiently reliable for long-term bridge management. It is also slow and can be costly if bridges have to be visually inspected after each seismic event.

LifeSpan's new extended range PeakStrain sensor will be used by Japan Railways on the Shinkansen, a vital link across the country, to monitor lateral displacement of bridge members as a result of seismic activity. The device will allow Japan Railways to quickly determine if Shinkansen bridges can continue to be used or must be shut down to protect passengers and railway equipment.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Jenoptik cameras reduce collisions
    March 19, 2022
    An analysis has shown that Jenoptik’s average speed cameras can reduce fatal and serious collisions by 50%. Ben Spencer learns that this technology also requires an understanding of the local environment
    Read More
  • Slow adoption of European VMS harmonisation
    January 31, 2012
    Alberto Arbaiza, ES4-Mare Nostrum Chair, Directorate General of Traffic, Spain and Antonio Lucas-Alba, ES4 Secretariat, INTRAS, University of Valencia, Spain write about progress towards variable message sign harmonisation in Europe . Particularly in Europe, national road administrations have been faster at generating and adopting new road signs than the standardisation process has been at generating them.
    Read More
  • Idaho adds human dimension to winter savings
    September 23, 2014
    Idaho leverages the increased capability and reliability of its road weather sensor network to reduce costs and prevent accidents. Weather-related accidents can form a significant chunk of an authorities’ annual road casualty statistics. While authorities cannot control the weather, the technology exists to monitor the road conditions and react with warnings to motorists and the treatment of icy or snow-covered roads. However, with all capital expenditure now placed under the microscope of public scrutiny,
    Read More
  • Silos are last century’s thinking
    April 21, 2016
    After 45 years in transportation, Ken Philmus sees the need for major change in a sector currently ill-prepared to meet the challenge of funding and rapidly advancing technological change. Having worked in both the public and private sectors, Ken Philmus, currently senior vice president of transportation solutions at Xerox, appreciates both approaches, but times are changing and he believes the sector needs to change too. “I like trains, planes and automobiles but I love the concept of mobility and that’s w
    Read More

Highlighted Content