How Sensor Technologies Help Build Better Highways, Bridges, and Roadways

The global infrastructure sector is booming, with massive investments in roads, highways, bridges, and transportation networks. This growth increases the demand for accurate and reliable force and torque measurement solutions.

Sensor technologies are in high demand for transportation infrastructure. Driven by increasing industrial automation, rising demand for precision measurement, and stringent safety regulations, force, torque, and weighing solutions are necessary for ensuring safety, optimizing performance, and managing costs throughout the infrastructure lifecycle. Civil engineers and manufacturers turn to Interface for accurate, quality measurement solutions, from construction and equipment operation to ongoing maintenance and monitoring.

Highway, Road, and Bridge Construction, Equipment and Monitoring

Interface load cells, load pins, instrumentation, multi-axis sensors, and torque transducers are top choices for those engaged in highway, roadway, and bridge infrastructure projects and testing. Sensors commonly measure the hardware used for transportation infrastructure products and structures.

Construction projects and equipment utilize Interface products. The global highway construction market is expected to reach $848.3 billion by 2027 (Source: Global Market Insights), which indicates a significant need for force and torque measurement in road construction equipment and ongoing pavement monitoring. Our load cells monitor loads, prevent overloads, and ensure safe operation in cranes, pile drivers, and other heavy machinery.

For example, Interface’s high-capacity load cells are vital for weighing bridge sections during installation. Load pins are integrated into lifting attachments and rigging systems to measure tension and ensure stability during construction. Torque transducers monitor the tightening of bolts in critical connections, ensuring structural integrity and preventing failures, which is essential for bridge construction and securing tunnel linings. Read: How Load Cells Are Transforming the Construction Industry

Equipment utilizes force sensors embedded in the machinery, including excavators and bulldozers, to optimize performance, reduce wear and tear, and improve fuel efficiency. Real-time data on digging forces and ground conditions can help operators work more effectively. Read: Interface Solutions for Heavy Equipment

Support and monitoring sensors can be integrated into bridges and other structures for structural health monitoring to monitor stress, strain, and load distribution continuously. This data helps identify potential weaknesses, predict maintenance needs, and extend the lifespan of infrastructure assets. Weigh-in-motion systems monitor traffic flow and weigh vehicles in motion, providing valuable data for road maintenance and planning. Effective road maintenance relies on accurate data about road conditions. Sensors embedded in roads and monitoring equipment can provide useful insights into pavement deterioration, helping prioritize maintenance and extend the lifespan of road infrastructure.

Use Cases and Applications

Transportation Tunnel Boring

A tunnel boring machine, or TBM, excavates tunnels for highways and roadways. TBMs are designed to cut through rock and soil with a rotating cutter head. The torque of the cutting wheel needs to be monitored and tested to ensure it works correctly during excavation operations. Interface’s T2 Ultra Precision Shaft Style Rotary Torque Transducers are attached to the cutter drives of the cutting wheel used to cut through the material. When connected to the BX8-AS BlueDAQ Series Data Acquisition System, the customer can monitor the torque of the TBM cutting wheel mechanism when connected to the computer with the supplied BlueDAQ software.

Wind Monitoring During Bridge Construction

Wind monitoring is necessary during bridge construction. Strong winds can destroy a bridge under construction, a work in progress with poor structural design. Monitoring these winds in real time is much more accurate than predicting weather forecasts. Interface suggests installing the WTS-WSS Wireless Wind Speed Transmitter Module on the highest point of construction, such as a crane. Wind speed results are wirelessly transmitted to the customer’s computer through the WTS-BS-4 Wireless Base Station with a USB in the Industrial Enclosure. They can also be transmitted to the WTS-BS-1 Wireless Handheld Display for Unlimited Transmitters. Data can be displayed, logged, and graphed with the supplied Log100 software. Review the application note here.

Bridge Seismic Monitoring

The customer would like to monitor seismic activity on a bridge by using force sensors and continuously monitoring bridge forces before, during, and after earthquakes occur. The customer would prefer a wireless solution so they would not need to run long cables on the bridge. Using Interface’s Wireless LP Load Pin, customized to fit their needs, LP Load Pins and the WTS-AM-1E Acquisition Module are installed onto the bridge.  WTS-BS-4 Industrial Base Station is connected to a computer and installed up to 800 meters from the WTS-AM-1E Acquisition Module. The computers are also connected to a Solar Panel Backup System to ensure continuous operation during power outages. Read more here.

Road Bridge Lift Monitoring

Road bridge lifts are specially constructed on roads or highways that intersect with water bodies such as rivers, canals, or harbors, allowing navigation to continue unimpeded. A force sensor system is needed to ensure the bridge’s structural integrity and safe operation. Interface suggests installing  LP Stainless Steel Load Pins within the pulleys. The load pins will detect the force implemented when the bridge is lifted. Results are displayed for the customer using the 920i Programmable Weight Indicator and Controller. Read more here.

Interface Measurement Solutions for Global Transporation Infrastructure

Force and torque measurements are essential in addressing real-world highway, bridge, and road infrastructure challenges. As countries invest in new infrastructure, the demand for force and torque measurement solutions is particularly high in regions like Asia-Pacific and Africa. In the US alone, over 43,500 bridges are classified as “structurally deficient” (Source: American Road & Transportation Builders Association, 2023). Force and torque sensors are critical for monitoring these bridges, identifying areas of concern, and prioritizing repairs.

Interface’s commitment to quality, accuracy, and durability makes its solutions ideal for the demanding environment of transportation infrastructure projects, including highways, bridges, and roads. These projects are used worldwide to ensure the safety, efficiency, and longevity of critical infrastructure assets today and tomorrow. Interface sensor technologies and instrumentation are also integral to building smart transportation infrastructure. They enable real-time monitoring and data-driven decision-making and are helping to drive innovations in mobility structures, including green transportation networks.