The non-contact assessment of the bridge expansion joint

TL;DR

This paper introduces a non-contact, non-destructive methodology for assessing bridge expansion joints' condition and noise emission using laser sensors, enabling efficient, traffic-free evaluation and long-term monitoring.

Contribution

It presents a novel design methodology and operational procedures for evaluating bridge expansion joints through non-contact measurements and data analysis.

Findings

Effective geometry and noise emission scanning without traffic disruption

Method enables long-term trend monitoring of joint degradation

Facilitates comparison of different joint conditions and types

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to provide information on a newly developed design methodology for the evaluation of bridge expansion joints with respect to their noise emission and overall technical condition. The methodology also gives recommendations for operational non-destructive measurements of the condition of bridge gates using a crossing laser sensors, CPX sensors or the necessary technical equipment and the method of collecting, processing and evaluating the measured data. The method can easily scan and evaluate geometry and/or noise emission of extensive number of joints by passing them without traffic interruption. The aim is to establish a methodology for comparing the noise and condition of bridge expansion joints in the road network, both over time (monitoring long-term trends in noise emission and degradation) and comparing different states and different types of bridge closures between each other.