Government mandates sensor installation for bridge health monitoring

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has mandated the installation of sensors on bridges, including devices to detect corrosion, for real-time health monitoring. The guidelines issued by the ministry apply to all agencies involved in the development and management of national highway stretches. Monitoring the condition of bridges in real time is crucial for timely preventive maintenance, repair and rehabilitation to avoid traffic disruptions and potential incidents due to bridge failures. The guidelines outline a two-stage process for bridge investigation, including visual survey for the overall integrity assessment, followed by detailed instrument-aided investigation to determine deterioration severity. For important bridges, parameters such as strain, deflection, vibration, tilt, displacement, temperature, corrosion and scour must be monitored, using sensors.