While sensor network research has made significant strides in the past few years, the literature has relatively few examples of papers that have evaluated and validated a complete experimental system. In this paper we discuss our deployment experiences and evaluate the performance of a multi-hop wireless data acquisition system (called Wisden) for structural health monitoring (SHM) on a large seismic test structure used by civil engineers. Our experiments indicate that, with the latest sensor network hardware, Wisden can reliably deliver time-synchronized tri-axial structural vibration data reliably across multiple hops with low latencies for sampling rates up to 200Hz. This performance was achieved by iteratively refining the system design using a series of test deployments. Our experiences suggested the need for careful onset detection in order to preserve the fidelity of the structure’s frequency response. Furthermore, the high damping characteristics of large structures motivated an exploration of the processing, sampling, and communication limits of current platforms.

This paper describes a set of dynamic field tests performed on the Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge (AZMB), also known as the New Carquinez Bridge, which is located 32km northeast of San Francisco on interstate Highway I-80. The AZMB, opened to traffic in November 2003, is the first suspension bridge in the United States with an orthotropic steel deck, reinforced concrete towers and large-diameter drilled shaft foundations. The dynamic field tests described herein were conducted just before the bridge opening to traffic. They included ambient vibration tests, mainly wind-induced, and forced vibration tests based on controlled traffic loads and vehicle-induced impact loads. Four different controlled traffic load patterns and seven different vehicle-induced impact load configurations were used in the forced vibration tests. The dynamic response of the bridge was measured through an array of 34 uni-axial and 10 tri-axial force-balanced accelerometers deployed along the whole length of the bridge. These dynamic field tests provided a unique opportunity to determine the dynamic (modal) properties of the bridge in its as-built (baseline) condition with no previous traffic loads or seismic excitation. Such properties could be used to validate and/or update the finite element models used in the design phase of this bridge. They could also be used as baseline for future health monitoring studies of this bridge. At the end of the paper, the ambient vibration test data were used to identify the bridge modal parameters (natural frequencies, damping ratios and mode shapes) using the data-driven stochastic subspace identification method.