The Use of Acoustic Monitoring to Extend the Life of Bowdon View Bridge

With the ever increasing need to manage and maintain infrastructure assets, acoustic monitoring of cable supported structures has developed into a useful, practical and reliable structural health monitoring tool for bridge engineers and owners alike. SoundPrint is a non-destructive, non- invasive, acoustic monitoring system, which can assist the bridge owner as part of an overall management strategy for the structure and provides the owner with time to secure funds, to design, plan, procure, and build a replacement structure.

This paper describes the acoustic monitoring process and a very recent in-depth case study of the application of acoustic monitoring and supplemental instrumentation on an important road bridge in the UK. Regular wire fractures were detected during the last three years of the structure’s useful life. The bridge was demolished and replaced in October 2010.