A Practical Framework for Component-Level Structural Health Monitoring of the Gerald Desmond Bridge

Gerald Desmond Bridge is the first cable-stayed bridge in California, located in the city of Long Beach and completed in 2020. The 6-lane bridge spans over the back channel of the Port of Long Beach harbor and plays a vital role in the transportation and economy of the Southern California. This relatively complex bridge requires frequent inspection and monitoring to ensure the health of its critical elements (e.g., deck, girders and stay cables), and consequently, to facilitate its continuous service to the Port and regional transportation demand. The main goal of this project is to implement a practical framework for real-time or near real-time remote structural health monitoring of Gerald Desmond Replacement bridge.

As an alternative to the traditional visual inspection, the proposed Bridge Health Monitoring (BHM) system will provide more frequent information about the health of bridge members. Hence, it will help detect deterioration or damage in the critical elements at their early stages. In this project, we will identify types of instruments, sensors’ optimal placements and provide guidance for a robust and straightforward approach for post-processing of collected data. This will give an edge to inspectors for more frequent, accurate and robust inspection of bridge elements.