Wind and structural monitoring of long span cable-supported bridges with GPS

Global positioning system (GPS) technology is an emerging tool for measuring both static and dynamic displacement responses of long span cable-supported bridges to strong winds. A systematic investigation is being carried out at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University on the application of GPS for wind and structural monitoring of large civil structures. A motion simulation table is first developed to assess the displacement measurement accuracy of GPS. Wind data recorded by the anemometers and displacement responses measured by the GPS of the Tsing Ma suspension bridge in HongKong are then analyzed. The statistical relationships between wind speed and wind-induced bridge displacement response are finally explored for wind-resistant performance assessments of the bridge. The overall conclusion is that GPS technology is a useful tool for wind and structural monitoring of long span cable-supported bridges.