Field Demonstration Projects
New Brunswick

Confederation Bridge

This project was originally undertaken in the early stages of ISIS Canada when it was imperative to demonstrate that the fibre optic sensors being developed would be robust enough to withstand concrete construction on a large scale project. With the cooperation of the Confederation Bridge owners, ISIS Canada was given the opportunity to use one of 43 frames, each consisting of a 250-m main girder, of this project as a test-bed for the durability of fibre optic sensing technology in a major civil engineering structure. A total of 22 sensors were installed on several sections of reinforcing steel and eventually embedded within a large prestressed concrete main girder component. Periodic monitoring of the sensors demonstrated their ability to withstand the construction process.

Strait Crossing Bridge Limited (SCBL) and its partners have been actively monitoring the Confederation Bridge since its construction through an extensive system of sensors and data collection infrastructure. Concurrently, ISIS Canada has been developing structural health monitoring technology for civil infrastructure.

This project represents a synergy between these two groups to combine expertise and resources to advance SHM technology, with a specific focus on the needs of the Confederation Bridge.

This collaborative project has three distinct components: Bragg grating sensor assessment, ice abrasion rate assessment and SHM real time data management and visualization. During construction 22 fibre optic sensors were installed in the bridge at locations coinciding with SCBL’s conventional sensors. The project will investigate the long-term durability of these sensors as well as test new Bragg sensor instrumentation systems. For the second component, researchers at Dalhousie will continue on-going collaborative research with SCBL to develop methods for the assessment of abrasion rates on the ice shields of the bridge. The third component involves the application of the ISIS experience with web-based data management and visualization to assist in the real-time identification of structural behaviour and extraction of significant monitoring events.

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