ABSTRACT
Excellent mechanical properties and high durability of fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites cause the increasing popularity of using these materials for the construction of pedestrian and bicycle bridges. The spans of bicycle footbridge at the Carpathian Bridge in Rzeszów (Poland) were constructed in the form of sandwich panels. Since FRP composite is a relatively new construction material and the footbridge is of significant size, the structural health monitoring (SHM) system based on distributed fibre optic sensors (DFOS) was designed and implemented for condition assessment. The optical fibres were placed inside the sandwich structure between the fabrics of the selected laminates, before the infusion process. It enables the high durability and reliability of the monitoring system because the sensors are not exposed to damage or the influence of the environment. Before the footbridge was open to public use, the static and dynamic proof load tests were performed. DFOS operation as well as design assumptions and the static and dynamic behavior of the lightweight structure had been checked.
