Structural Monitoring, Sensor Technology and Performance Assessment

Brief descriptions of several recent programs of monitoring in-service re sponse of bridges, buildings and offshore structures and the associated research in sensor technology are presented. For bridge structures, new technologies have been developed for monitoring atmospheric corrosion, fatigue crack growth, progressive failure and local structural defects. The work on buildings is related to earthquake ground motion measure ment and dynamic response monitoring. The information obtained allows direct evaluation of seismic performance of the structures, including damage assessment. For offshore plat forms, the monitoring programs involve both environmental and structural data gathering and their correlation with design predictions.