ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: Recently, novel numeric and monitoring techniques, such as fibre optic sensor systems and inverse damage detection analysis among others, are becoming more and more attractive for the long term reliability and performance assessment of engineering structures. These techniques combined with advanced software systems (SARA) and monitoring techniques, allow the continuously or discrete determination of the global reliability level of structures or structural components in time. Nevertheless, beyond these developments there are intentions to detect the structural performance by scanning the time dependent surface behavior, such as the pavement of bridges, and the associated stressors, by monitoring vehicles. In generally, these vehicles are equipped with laser sensor systems and high frequency cameras recording several properties of the surface. However, there is the requirement to supplement (a) the image recognition systems with the sensor readings, and (b) the performance level of a structure by means of a monitored surface degradation process. Therefore, the objectives of this paper are the presentation: (a) of methods for the incorporation of sensor readings in image recognition systems, (b) of inverse methods for the incorporation of surface damage processes in the performance level of structures, and (c) of extreme value based methods for the prediction of surface damage processes. The approaches will be applied to the existing Gossensass Bridge in Südtirol (IT).
