Forecasting the Value of Vibration-Based Monitoring Information in Structural Integrity Management

Structural deterioration and increasing load demand are two main factors that compromise the serviceability and functioning of civil constructions. The vastity of the bridge portfolio and the few resources available require maintenance optimization to provide the required user safety. In this context, vibration-based monitoring may provide information about the structural performance and support decisions in structural integrity management. In this paper, a novel definition of global and local information from a multi-sensor vibration-based system is provided and implemented for the cases of a parallel ductile Daniels system and a serial system. Furthermore, local and global integrity management actions are modeled and analyzed. Vibration-based information is used to optimize the maintenance strategy in terms of optimal action implementation. Decision and value of predicted information analyses are used to drive maintenance optimization. Indeed, each outcome of the monitoring system and maintenance strategy is associated with an expected utility and cost. Optimization is performed by determining the lowest expected cost corresponding to a maintenance strategy.