Sensor Location at Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge (Çelebi, 2006). Note. Adapted from “Real-Time Seismic Monitoring of the New Cape Girardeau Bridge and Preliminary Analyses of Recorded Data: An Overview,” by Çelebi, 2006, Earthquake Spectra.
Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge (Kinemetrics, 2004).
Data from sensor located at cross section of pier 2 (NSF SAGE, 2025). Note. Adapted from “Station QuickLook,” by NSF SAGE, 2025, Station QuickLook, https://ds.iris.edu/ds/nodes/dmc/tools/station_quicklook/.
Installation of accelerometer on the bridge (Kinemetrics, 2004).
Central recording (Kinemetrics, 2004).
Central recording center (Kinemetrics, 2004).
Data acquisition (Kinemetrics, 2005).

About Our client

The Missouri Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation with the collaboration of USGS, FHWA and MCEER under the auspices of Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety, a National University Transportation Center at Missouri University of Science and Technology supported this project.

Project Objective

Provide a real-time monitoring system of the structural condition of the bridge and use the recorded structural vibration data and ground motions to develop and validate a realistic FE model of the cable-stayed bridge and validate the design assumptions for critical components such as cables and towers.

Project Achievement

The seismic instrumentation system installed on the bridge consists of a total of 84 Kinemetrics accelerometers, digitizers, and units for data concentration and mass storage. This instrumentation, installed throughout the bridge structure and adjacent free field sites, allowed the recording of structural vibrations of the bridge and free field motions at the surface and down-hole locations.

The acquired data was used to understand the overall response and behavior of the cable-stayed bridge, including translational, torsional, rocking, and translational soil-structure interactions at foundation levels. The acquired data enabled engineers and researchers to validate seismic design parameters.

 

 

Project Insights

RELIABILITY

The system has provided continued serviceability since December 2004 and through major earthquakes that have struck the area.

DESIGN VALIDATION

Integrated various instrumentation types to ensure the delivery of the high-quality data required to validate the design assumptions associated with the bridge.

SEISMIC MONITORING

A large collection of high-quality Kinemetrics instrumentation was used to deliver critical information to operators and researchers.

2005-05-01 M4.1 EARTHQUAKE

The system performed as intended during May 1, 2005, M4.1 earthquake that occurred at 5.5 km SSE (1620) from Manila, Arkansas, or 180 kilometers from the bridge, delivering important data to operators.

Related Applications and Products

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Feature Product Datasheet

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