A new prototype of Fibre Optic Sensor (FOSS) to monitor bridge scour

Abstract

Bridges play a key role in the transportation network system and are vulnerable to various natural hazards. For bridges constructed over rivers, scour is one of the major causes of bridge failure.With the growing impacts of climate change, both the intensity and frequency of flood events are increasing, raising significant concerns regarding the safety and maintenance of bridge infrastructure. This study presents a method for remotely monitoring scouring which uses a Fibre Optic scour sensor based on Fibre Bragg Grating, named FOSS. The sensor comprises three sensing elements (fins), which are embedded at different depths. The systemoperates on the principle that, when erosion occurs, the movement of these fins generates a measurable response, indicating the depth of erosion. This paper presents the sensor’s characteristics and shows preliminary findings from a field deployment on a bridge in the Northern Ireland region.