Bridge safety may be improved by using remote wireless sensors and finite element models for structural health monitoring (SHM) by providing a fuller picture of bridge integrity. This is according to a recently published study from the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering.  

Led by Piervincenzo (Piero) Rizzo, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, the researchers compared model data to field data gathered from three similar concrete box bridges with existing wireless sensors. The team compared those field results against finite element models, which simulate various loading or impact conditions, including the vibrations, displacement, and deformation a truck creates.