Authors:
J. Rice, S. Valdovinos, B. Spencer
5th World Conference on Structural Control and Monitoring (5WCSCM), Shinjuku, Tokyo, July 2010
Abstract
The newly constructed Stawamus Chief Pedestrian Bridge employs a striking arched suspension design that compliments the beauty of its surroundings over the Sea-to-Sky Highway in Vancouver, British Columbia. A series of tests were conducted to characterize the dynamic behavior of the arches with specific focus on their susceptibility to wind induced vibration. These tests utilized the Imote2 smart sensor platform and the Illinois SHM Accelerometer sensor board as well as application software developed under the Illinois Structural Health Monitoring Project (ISHMP). The use of the Imote2s highlighted the ease with which they can be deployed for short-term structural testing. The results of the tests validated several aspects of the sensor hardware and application software designs and also emphasized the necessity for fault-tolerant network operation. In addition, the testing environment brought to light issues and solutions related to compromised hardware performance in cold temperatures.
