Continuous Monitoring of Bridge Structures: Integrating Fibre-Optic Sensing and Digital Twins

The ageing of transport infrastructure and the continuously increasing dynamic loading of road and railway bridges are placing ever greater demands on structural diagnostics. Traditional methods, based on periodic visual inspections or measurements using conventional electronic strain gauges, show significant limitations in demanding operating conditions. The most critical of these include the susceptibility of electronics to electromagnetic interference (EMI), material corrosion in humid environments, and the need for local power supply.

This is why we are introducing TwinBridge, a system that represents a technological step forward in the field of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). The system integrates passive fibre-optic sensors, mathematical digital twin models, and algorithms for advanced data analysis.

Benefits of fibre-optic technology in practice

The detection layer is based on optical fibres with integrated structures, such as Fibre Bragg Gratings (FBGs). As a result, the sensors offer specific properties that make them particularly suitable for long-term engineering applications:

Energy-passive operation: No electrical power supply is required at the measurement point. The signal is transmitted exclusively via optical fibre.

Complete immunity to EMI: The system is entirely immune to electromagnetic noise. This enables reliable installation directly on steel structures of railway bridges equipped with overhead traction lines.

High durability — IP68: The sensors are inert to chemical effects, moisture, and corrosion. This ensures stable data transmission without degradation over several decades.

From data acquisition to digital twin and prediction

The measured quantities — primarily strain, crack development, pier inclination, and temperature fields — are transmitted in real time to a central evaluation unit. The data serves as input for the digital twin: a numerical and structural model that accurately reflects the current physical condition of the structure.

The analytical software then distinguishes standard environmental effects, such as daily thermal expansion and contraction, from anomalies caused by structural material fatigue or support settlement. Infrastructure managers therefore gain exact data on trends in bridge behaviour.

This enables a transition from reactive maintenance to predictive maintenance, demonstrably extending the service life of the structure and optimising the allocation of financial resources.

Proven in railway applications

A successful real-world example is the deployment of the system on a railway bridge in Kostomlaty. Here, TwinBridge provides continuous data acquisition without the need for service interventions on the structure itself.

Would you like to know how TwinBridge can help protect your structures?

Try our online demo or contact us for a non-binding consultation. We will be happy to discuss tailored monitoring options with you.