Beginning in the early 2000’s, the Bridge Engineering Center (through projects funded by the Iowa Department of Transportation, Iowa Highway Research Board, Federal Highway Administration, and most recently through a pooled fund study) began the development of an autonomous structural health monitoring (SHM) system.

With the increasing complexity of many of the nation’s bridges, conventional monitoring techniques often can’t be used because potential damage locations may not be known or are too numerous. That’s why the ability to monitor the condition of a bridge structure to detect damage or changes in condition at early stages is so important.

Current, active structural health monitoring activities include locations across the State of Iowa.