Fostering Structural Health Monitoring of Existing Infrastructures by Coupling Damage Cluster Analysis and Scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometry

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Considering the age of the infrastructure in Canada and Quebec, the maintenance cost of our aging infrastructure is an impelling situation. Regrettably, bridge maintenance plans are affected by late reparations which are costly and often ineffective. The main challenge is to detect damage at the earliest possible stage to maximize the life extension and to avoid late costly reparations. The present NSERC RTI grant application aims at developing a groundbreaking bridge-diagnostic tool that couples advanced statistical damage detection methods and a cutting-edge sensor technology. The required Scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometer (SLDV) instrument is today essential for achieving the following objectives: 1\ Develop a cutting-edge and highly accurate damage detection methods based on curvature changes of existing structures, herein called SLDV-HSM. This will foster SHM technique by reducing the false indication of damage and better estimating the optimal time of rehabilitation. 2\ Apply the SLDV-SHM technique not only for prevention of existing bridges, but also for following up the post-reparation performances. For instance, we will apply the developed SLDV-SHM technique for following up the structural behavior of bridges strengthened by modern strengthening techniques such as R-UHPFRC overlays (REF) to maximize the lifetime gain. 3\ Train HPQ and engineers on groundbreaking SHM techniques in the maintenance of the aging infrastructure of Quebec and Canada. 4\ Enhance current practices of SHM technique in Canada by undertaking pilot projects with the structural division of the City of Quebec and the Ministry of Transport of Quebec.