Imagine a bridge that is a living laboratory for researchers, engineers, and the general public. In 2013, the City of Portsmouth, NH, began reconstructing its Memorial Bridge, and designed the structure into a living, smart bridge.
Engineers and graduate students from the University of New Hampshire in collaboration with the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, the National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Energy designed and implemented a floating platform that is secured to the pier underneath the bridge.
Living Smart Bridge
Designed to rise and fall with the changing tide and equipped with a network of sensors and accelerators, the new bridge collects data on vibrations, the effects of weather, traffic, and environmental impact to monitor the structure’s performance. This data enables the city to proactively address any problems with the bridge, helping to extend its lifespan.
This bridge includes over 40 sensors that capture structural performance, traffic patterns, environmental conditions, the behavior of innovative bridge design elements, and enable and promote community engagement. The information collected with these sensors is shared with researchers, bridge designers and the bridge owner, The sensing network, includes structural response sensors, underwater instrumentation and cameras, and weather stations.
Aesthetic lighting and social media are used to communicate relevant information from the bridge and environmental sensors, such as weather, tides, and traffic to the local community. The bridge sensor network, information communication system and aesthetic lighting are powered by a turbine system that converts tidal energy into electricity, powering the sensor network and ensuring the structure is entirely self-sustaining.
The University of New Hampshire team hopes that the Living Bridge will provide an example to the rest of the country from both the engineering and renewable energy perspectives. This is another great use of technology to help improve our environment. Bob Larson is a technologist and Marketing Director for 50 Plus.