Revolutionary method: bridge monitoring by train - security increased!

Revolutionary method: bridge monitoring by train - security increased!

In the world of engineering, there are always exciting developments that not only advance technology, but also influence our daily life. Current example: Dr.-Ing. Steven R. Lorenzen, who was awarded the Kurt Ruths Prize for his dissertation. His topic revolves around methods for monitoring and lifetime extension of railway bridges, specifically through innovative approaches such as the "drive-by monitoring". Traditional procedures for bridge monitoring are often rather cumbersome and expensive. Lorenzen has developed a method that significantly increases the efficiency of monitoring. He equipped trains with sensors that can carry out measurements during the crossing and thus control the entire bridge network.

A particularly big challenge is the combination of short spanning widths of the bridges and fast train speeds. Lorenzen explains that it developed a procedure to determine the resonance frequency of bridges by attaching acceleration sensors on the train. Bridges are not rigid, but they swing, and these vibrations are referred to as self -frequency. If an external force, for example a train, matches this frequency, there may be dangerous resonance crossings that can lead to a collapse in the worst case.

social relevance in bridge monitoring

Professor Clemens Hübler, head of the Institute for Statics and Construction at the TU Darmstadt, emphasizes the social importance of such innovative surveillance methods. According to Hübler, Lorenzen’s approaches are not only creative, but also extremely promising for the future of building monitoring and the building dynamics. Another core point of Lorenzen’s research is the need to extend the lifespan of existing bridges. In Germany, the average lifespan of a railway bridge has been 122 years. In view of the increasing traffic loads and the development of powerful railway vehicles that bring higher axle loads and speeds, this aspect becomes particularly urgent.

The global railway bridge infrastructure is very out of date and there is a lack of efficient methods for evaluating the existing structures. Production and installation of sensors on the bridges themselves are often not economically implementable. Lorenzen’s Drive-by Monitoring offers a cost-effective solution here, since it enables comprehensive surveillance that is affordable and practical. Their efficiency is also evident in the possibility of extrapolating the results - the so -called virtual sensing, in which data is simulated in not directly measured locations.

The view outside the box: AI in bridge development

and while groundbreaking in Darmstadt are made on the subject of bridge monitoring, innovative solutions are also being worked on in Switzerland. A research group of the ETH Zurich is developing new prediction models for the life of life of railway bridges using machine learning. Professor Sophia Kuhn, who heads the project, emphasizes the need for AI models in engineering in order not only to make constructions more secure, but also more cost-efficient and sustainable.

Such approaches that AI use to support engineers are particularly relevant after tragic events such as the bridge breakdowns in Dresden and Genoa have occurred in recent years. This shows how essential it is to recognize damage processes at an early stage and react to it. The developed AI models support engineers in optimizing bridges and anticipating potential dangers.

Dr.-Ing. With his research, Steven R. Lorenzen shows that the desire for innovative solutions in the construction and engineering industry is not only available, but also urgent. His approaches to bridge monitoring could make a significant contribution to making our traffic routes safer - a good knack for the future of our infrastructure.

For further information on Lorenzen's work and the developments in bridge monitoring, visit the page of the TU Darmstadt or read the dissertation on TUPRINTS . If you want to learn more about the role of AI in this area, the report on recommended.