Applying ZigBee wireless sensor and control network for bridge safety monitoring

Internet technologies bring methods to help bridge safety management, to collect data or monitor conditions in real time, and to comprehensively record or analyze the collected data of on-site conditions in real time. In this study, the wireless sensor networks and smart building technologies are adopted to help the bridge safety information transmission and management. The study proposed a bridge safety–monitoring system conceptual framework by applying the ZigBee wireless sensor and control technology. The conceptual framework demonstrated by a prototype includes four major subsystems: (1) monitoring units; (2) photovoltaic units; (3) wireless communication system; and (4) bridge safety–monitoring server system. This system can monitor and analyze in real time the conditions of a bridge and its environment, including the waters levels nearby, pipelines, air, and other safety conditions. The detected data and images are transmitted to the server and database for users to have real-time monitoring of the bridge conditions via mobile telecommunication devices.