Passive Peak Strain Gauges

1
Passive Peak Strain Gauges

• Ryan Kent Giles
• NSF REU 2002 at the University of Delaware
• Advisor
• Dr. Harry Tripp Shenton
• University of Delaware

2
Introduction

• Project Purpose
• Passive Gauges
• Results
• Future Research

3
Project Purpose

• Williamsburg Bridge
• Built 1903 for 24.2 million
• Closed to all traffic in 1988
• Rehabilitation starting in 1983 for 748.51
  million

4
Project Purpose

• Bridge Health Monitoring
• Visual inspection
• Time consuming
• Costly
• Permanent monitoring system
• Generate large amounts of data
• Require constant electrical input
• Costly

5
Passive Gauges

• Purpose
• Measure peak strain
• Benefits
• Single datum output
• Mechanical operation
• Cost efficient
• Measurement
• Voltage
• Tension or compression

6
Results - Calibration
7
Results - Temperature
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Results - Tension Test
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Results - Field Test

• I-95 Bridge 1-704
• Christiana Creek in Newark, DE
• One girder rehabilitated with composite
• Conventional strain gauges attached
• August 2, 2002 August, 6, 2002

10
Future Research

• Continued field testing
• Cold weather, moisture, and ice
• Bridge vibrations
• Data acquisition system
• Smaller
• Easier to use
• Cost efficiency of system

11
Thank You

• Questions?