Satellite-Based Structural and Hydraulic Monitoring of a 50-Year-Old Bridge over the Oglio River in Italy

The bridge over the Oglio river in Isola Dovarese, Italy, is a 50-year-old structure with concrete deck I-beams. This bridge is an important link for both local communities and regional transportation system and has been selected as a case study within a joint project promoted by Regione Lombardia and Politecnico di Milano for the definition of criteria and guidelines for maintenance and management of the roadway infrastructure. A structural health monitoring system based on satellite technology has been designed and implemented for the continuous measurement of displacements of selected points of both deck and piers. A camera and a hydrometer have been integrated in the system for visualizing a pier front to detect floating debris and monitoring of water elevation, respectively, along with a weather station to assess the environmental conditions. Moreover, an echo-sounder has been used to investigate the erosion and local scour at foundation level. This paper provides a description of the design and implementation of the integrated system and a critical appraisal of the preliminary results of the monitoring activities as a support to the general framework for maintenance and management of the roadway infrastructure at regional scale.