Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometers are widely used in bridge maintenance, particularly with regard to fatigue damage.
Accelerometers are used for measurement of displacement response of the entire bridge under a live loads which may cause stresses and lead to damage.
As fatigue damage may lead to a brittle fracture, appropriate inspection and countermeasures are necessary to detect it and take an action before a brittle fracture occurs.
The displacement response under live loads is a factor that dominates fatigue damage.
It is important that this can be accurately assessed to ensure that bridges can be effectively maintained.
Bridge displacement can be calculated
The use of MEMS accelerometers is widespread for the measurement of the response to an external force.
MEMS accelerometers are inexpensive, compact, easy to install, and are easily attachable and detachable when wireless communication is used.
Bridge displacement can be calculated from the double integration of the measured acceleration. However, data measured by accelerometers includes measurement errors caused by the limitations of the sensor noise and accumulated errors along time.
MAXL-OL-2000 series MEMS accelerometers
Physical Logic offers it’s MAXL-OL-2000 series MEMS accelerometers with ultra-low noise, low long-term stability errors, low vibration rectification errors (VRE) which ease calculations of displacement response, minimize measurements’ errors, and enable a safe bridge maintenance.