Structural Health Monitoring and Performance Evaluation of Bridges and Structural Elements

Dear Colleagues,

Bridges and other structures that support critical services necessary for communities constitute an important part of the surface infrastructure. It is important to have means and methods for health monitoring and performance evaluation of the existing structures so that their safety can be evaluated and preventive maintenance be performed on time, long before the extent of the damage necessitates drastic actions. This is even more important for the resiliency of communities that are prone to natural hazards and need quick recovery after each extreme event. As the many bridge failures over the past few decades have shown, conventional and routine bridge monitoring is insufficient to effectively evaluate safety, and more effective methods for damage detection and structural monitoring are needed. At the same time, condition assessment and performance evaluation of bridges and structures will allow the decision-makers to allocate their assets on a priority basis for hardening inadequate structures for better resiliency.

This Special Issue will compile articles on a wide range of topics related to the existing and new non-destructive evaluation (NDE) methods, structural health monitoring (SHM) and damage detection techniques applicable to bridges and other structures. Methods including but not limited to hands-on non-destructive testing (NDT), non-contact or vision-based sensors and instrumentation, load testing, vibration analysis, as well as the application of novel sensors and instrumentation are encouraged. This issue will also include condition assessment and performance evaluation methods and maintenance approaches which use the results of NDE and SHM to devise preventive and preservation tactics. The structural health monitoring and condition assessment have evolved significantly in recent years with introduction of innovative sensors, data communication, non-destructive evaluation, and methods of delivery. Therefore, innovative approaches to health monitoring and condition assessment are specially solicited for this Special Issue, along with new approaches to maintenance. 

Dr. Armin Mehrabi
Dr. Seyed Saman Khedmatgozar Dolati
Guest Editors

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