A Tale of Five Bridges; the use of GNSS for Monitoring the Deflections of Bridges

GNSS technology has proven highly effective for monitoring the dynamic deflections of iconic bridges, including the Forth Road Bridge. Research demonstrates that even small-scale movements can be accurately measured and analyzed for frequency, offering valuable insights that align with existing bridge movement models. The study employed survey-grade GNSS receivers, capturing data at frequencies up to 100 Hz, to track deflections on five notable bridges—Humber Bridge, Millennium Bridge, Forth Road Bridge, Severn Suspension Bridge, and Avonmouth Viaduct. Findings highlight the importance of frequency analysis alongside magnitude measurements in understanding bridge behavior, while also showcasing the potential of single-frequency GNSS receivers for precise monitoring applications.

Roberts, G. W., Brown, C. J., Tang, X., Meng, X., & Ogundipe, O. (2014). A Tale of Five Bridges; the use of GNSS for Monitoring the Deflections of Bridges. Journal of Applied Geodesy, 8(4). https://doi.org/10.1515/jag-2014-0013