Value of information‐driven innovation in Gerber saddles monitoring

Innovation plays a crucial role in shaping technological, economic, and social progress in modern societies. In the realm of bridge integrity management, the development and diffusion of technologies to acquire information can significantly enhance industries' safety and functionality capabilities. Among the most widely diffused bridge types in Europe and North America, Gerber bridges are particularly susceptible to deterioration over time. Gerber saddles are typically not instrumented and are checked only through visual inspections. This paper introduces the metric of the Value of Information for Innovation to estimate the benefit associated with introducing an established technology in a new market of application. Herein, the operational value of implementing microelectromechanical inclinometers in the integrity management of Gerber saddles is quantified for the specific case of a bridge in northern Italy. Microelectromechanical systems companies may use these results to optimally select the technology price, investigate diverse market strategies, and optimize sensor arrangement.