Bridge Maintenance, Safety, Management and Life-Cycle Optimization Frangopol, Sause & Kusko (eds) 2010 Taylor &

p; Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-0-415-87786-2

Deflection measurement for bridges with frequency-shifted feedback laser

S. Umemoto, M. Fujii, N. Miyamoto & T. Okamoto
Keisoku Research Consultant Co., Hiroshima, Japan

T. Hara & H. Ito

Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan

Y. Fujino
The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

ABSTRACT: The frequency-shifted feedback laser (FSF laser) is an ultra-high accuracy optical measurement technology which not only enables remote/noncontact measurement, but also has a maximum sampling frequency of 1000 Hz. As an additional feature, its measurement accuracy is not dependent on the measurement distance. Based on these distinctive features, high expectations are placed on high accuracy remote/noncontact measurement of dynamic deflection behavior in Structural Health Monitoring using the FSF laser. In this research, displacement measurement accuracy of 0.1mm or less was confirmed in measurements from a distance of 1000 m. Furthermore, the results of application to measurement of bridge deflection demonstrated that it is possible to assess the behavior of bridges by this remote/noncontact technology with the same accuracy as with the conventional method, and thus verified its applicability to actual bridges.

1 INTRODUCTION
Japan has approximately 140,000 bridges with lengths of 15 m or more on its national highways. Among these, the number of bridges which have been in service for 50 years or more will increase rapidly after 2010, and is expected to reach approximately half of the total number by 2026. Because maintenance costs will account for a large percentage of construction investment in the future, it is desirable to reduce maintenance costs, and Structural Health Monitoring will play a large role in this effort. A number of Structural Health Monitoring technologies have been developed to respond to this social need. Full-field optical measurement technology, which is the focus of the authors efforts, is one field of Structural Health Monitoring technology. Full-field optical measurement technology is a technology which utilizes the properties of light to grasp information on objects of interest in 2- or 3-dimensions, and has several important advantages, including 1) remote/noncontact measurement, 2) collection of information on numerous points within a short period of time, and 3) visualization of that information. The frequency-shifted feedback laser (hereinafter, FSF laser) developed by Tohoku University, which is one such technology, is an ultra-high accuracy measurement technology, and because of its principle of measurement, it has the distinctive features that noncontact distance measurement is possible and measurement accuracy is not dependent on the measurement distance. Furthermore, because the maximum sampling frequency of the FSF laser is 1000 Hz, measurement of dynamic displacement behavior is possible. The authors have carried out various verification studies with the aim of applying the FSF laser to Structural Health Monitoring, and made improvements in the FSF laser at Tohoku University reflecting the results. This paper reports the results of

verification of the distance and displacement measurement accuracy of the new FSF laser in long distance measurements, and also presents examples of application of the FSF laser to measurements of bridge deflection in service.

Scanner unit

Measuring unit

Figure 1. The external appearance of the FSF Laser.

Table 1. Specification of the FSF Laser. Measurement Range 1000 m or more Distance measuring 1 = 50 m accuracy (in optical fiber) Angle measuring Vertical : 1/8,000,000 accuracy Horizontal : 1/8,000,000 Maximum response 1000 Hz frequency Scanner unit : 17.0 kg Weight Control unit : 12.0 kg Measuring unit : 15.0 kg

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2 SPECIFICATION OF THE FSF LASER

Figure 1 shows the external appearance of the most recent model of the FSF laser. Its specification is as shown in Table 1. Its measurement range is 1000 m or more, and it has achieved a measurement accuracy of 1 =50 m in optical fiber. Angle measuring accuracy shows a resolution of 1/8,000,000 of 360 with both vertical and horizontal angles, and the maximum sampling frequency is 1000 Hz. There is still room for improvement in the weight of the system.

3 PERFORMANCE OF THE FSF LASER FOR LONG DISTANCE MEASUREMENT AND REMOTE DISPLACEMENT MEASUREMENT
Distance and displacement measurement performance in long distance measurements has already been verified for measurement distances up to 500 m. As a new challenge, in this research, distance and displacement measurement performance was verified up to a measurement distance of 1000 m. Figure 2 shows the situation of installation of the FSF laser. As the verification method, first, a target stage (Fig. 3) on which prisms were set were positioned at measurement distances of 50 m, 300 m, 500 m, and 1000 m, respectively. Displacement of 0 mm - 50 mm in the direction of the optical axis was applied statically at a pitch of 2 mm, and measurements were made at each 2 mm displacement interval using the FSF laser. At the target stage, the prism displacement can be controlled with an accuracy of 10 m. The results of the verification test are summarized in Table 2. The measurement results for each measurement distance are shown in Figure 4-7. Irrespective of the measurement distance, the results confirmed a standard deviation of 0.2 mm or less in the measured data of distance, and the deviation of the measured data with 50 mm displacement of the target stage was 0.1 mm or less. As it was possible to measure distance and displacement with ultra-high accuracy, even at a measurement distance of 1000 m, this research reconfirmed the fact that the measurement accuracy of the FSF laser does not depend on distance, at least at measurement distances up to 1000 m.

Figure 3. A Prism Target controlled by high-resolution Target Stage.

Table 2. Results of verification. Standard Measurement Measurement Deviation Distance (mm) (mm) 50m 0.128 0.156 49.929 300m 0.132 0.158 49.976 500m 0.137 0.169 50.119 1000m 0.149 0.181 49.986

Deviation (mm) 0.071 0.024 0.119 0.014

Figure 4. Measurement result for 50 m measurement distance.

Figure 2. Installation situation of the FSF Laser. Figure 5. Measurement result for 300 m measurement distance.

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laser and CCD laser displacement meter showed extremely good agreement, and a condition of free attenuation of the vibration board was measured. In the frequency analysis, the same value, 10.254 Hz, was obtained with both methods. Based on these measurement results, high accuracy noncontact measurement of dynamic displacement behavior is possible using the FSF laser.

Figure 6. Measurement result for 500 m measurement distance.

Figure 8. Outline of apparatus used for the laboratory Experiment.

Figure 9.

CCD Laser displacement meter.

Figure 7. Measurement result for 1000 m measurement distance.

4 DEFLECTION MEASUREMENT 4.1 Laboratory experiment

As a preliminary stage prior to application of the FSF laser to actual structures, a laboratory experiment was performed with a vibration board having a natural frequency of 10 Hz. Figure 8 shows an outline of the experimental apparatus. A reflective sheet was attached to the vibration board, and the FSF laser was positioned 10 m from the board. In order to evaluate the appropriateness of the measurement results obtained with the FSF laser, a CCD laser displacement meter (Fig. 9) was placed at a position 40 cm from the vibration board, and measurements were performed simultaneously with the two devices. The specification of the CCD laser displacement meter is as shown in Table 3. Synchronization of the FSF laser and CCD laser displacement meter was performed by inputting synchronizing signals to the respective recording computers at the start and end of measurement using an external button. The measurement time was from the start of the vibration of the vibration board to attenuation of vibration. The sampling pitch was 200 Hz. The time history of the displacement of the vibration board and the results of frequency analysis are shown in Figure 10 and Figure 11, respectively. The time histories of the FSF

Table 3. Specification of CCD laser displacement meter. Measurement range 100 mm (reference distance: 400mm) Light source Red semiconductor laser Spot diameter 290x8300 m (approx.) Linearity 0.05%FS Repeatable accuracy 2 m Sampling frequency 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 s

Figure 10. Time history of vibration board displacement Measurement.

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0.20

FSF Laser
Fourier amplitude spectrum (mm) 0.15

can be observed at two points is attributed to measurement of the object bridge while the bridge was in service, and is considered to be due to the fact that vehicles stopped on the bridge a number of times while the measurements were in progress.

10.254 Hz
0.10

0.05

0.00

5.7 m
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 Frequency (Hz) 14 16 18 20

0.20

CCD Laser
Fourier amplitude spectrum (mm) 0.15

23.0 m
Composite Girder Bridge

10.254 Hz
0.10

0.05

0.00

8 10 12 Frequency (Hz)

14

16

18

20

7.3 m 73.8 m
Truss Bridge

Figure 11. Results of frequency analysis.

4.2 Field measurement for bridges in service

Deflection measurements of actual bridges were carried out for a composite girder bridge and a truss bridge located in Hiroshima City while the bridges were in service (Fig. 12). The position of the deflection measurements was the center of the span. A reflective sheet was attached to the bottom surface of the girder as a target for the FSF laser. As a comparison sensor, the contact-type high sensitivity displacement meter shown in Figure 13 and Table 4 was used. The scanner unit of the FSF laser was positioned directly under the bridge girder. The contact-type displacement meter was installed on the bottom side of the girder by temporarily erecting scaffolding under the girder. Measurements were made for a period of 5 minutes at a sampling pitch of 200 Hz. It was confirmed in advance that the vibration of the ground where the scanner was positioned would not influence the measurements. The results of the deflection measurements are shown in Figure 14. The time history waveforms of the deflection measured by the FSF laser and the contact-type displacement meter shows extremely good agreement. As in the laboratory test, these field measurements confirmed that high accuracy remote/noncontact measurement of bridge deflection is possible using the FSF laser. The results of a frequency analysis based on the source wave of the truss bridge are shown in Figure 15. The same value was obtained for the natural frequency, confirming that the natural frequency can also be obtained with high accuracy by this remote/noncontact method. The fact that the natural frequency Figure 12. The Composite Girder and Truss Bridges.

Figure 13. Contact-type displacement meter.

Table 4. Specification of contact-type displacement meter. Type CDP-50 Capacity 50 mm Rated output Strain 10,000 10-6 Nonlinearity 0.1%RO Response frequency 6 Hz

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1.0

5 CONCLUSION
FSF Laser

0.5

0.0 -0.5 -1.0 -1.5 -2.0

Contact-type Displacement Meter FSF Laser Contact-type Displacement Meter

0 50 100 150 Time [s] 200 250 300

In previous research, the authors carried out various verification studies with the aim of applying the frequency-shifted feedback laser (FSF laser) to Structural Health Monitoring, and made improvements in the FSF laser reflecting the results of those studies. This paper introduces the most recent model of the FSF laser, and reports on an experiment for verification of the distance/displacement measurement performance of this system in long distance measurements. Examples of application to actual bridges are also described. The results obtained in this research are summarized below. 1) The FSF laser enables remote/noncontact measurements of distance and displacement with high accuracy. At a measurement distance of 1000 m, standard deviations of the values of the distance measurements are in the range of 0.149-0.181 mm, and displacement measurement accuracy is 0.014 mm. 2) The measurement accuracy of the FSF laser does not depend on the measurement distance, at least at measurement distances up to 1000 m. 3) The FSF laser enables high accuracy remote/noncontact measurement of the dynamic displacement behavior of structures. 4) In measurements of bridge deflection with the FSF laser, measurement is possible with the same accuracy as with conventional measurement methods using contact-type displacement meters. Based on the results described above, it is possible to apply the FSF laser to actual bridges. In particular, the FSF laser is expected to demonstrate its effectiveness in measurements of long bridges and bridges with high piers. This is also considered to be an effective technology for measuring the displacement behavior and assessing the vibration characteristics of giant structures such as dams, etc., with which high measurement accuracy is required. Furthermore, large-scale equipment is not required in these measurements, which can be performed simply by setting a surveying prism at the measurement point. Thus, in addition to providing information for evaluation of the health of the structure, this technology can also make an important contribution to cost reduction.

Deflection [mm]

Composite Girder Bridge

1.0

FSF Laser
0.5 Deflection (mm) 0.0 -0.5 -1.0 -1.5 -2.0

Contact-type Displacement Meter FSF Laser Contact-type Displacement Meter

0 50 100 150 Time [s] 200 250 300

Truss Bridge Figure 14. Results of deflection measurement.

FSF Laser
0.25
Power Spectral Density [(mm) /Hz]

2.661 Hz

0.2

2.783 Hz
0.15

0.1

0.05

0 0

0.5

1.5

2.5 3 Frequency [Hz]

3.5

4.5

0.25
Power Spectral Density [(mm) /Hz]

Contact-type Displacement Meter

2.661 Hz

0.2

REFERENCES
2.783 Hz

0.15

0.1

0.05

0 0

0.5

1.5

2.5 3 Frequency [Hz]

3.5

4.5

Figure 15. Results of frequency analysis (Truss Bridge).

Umemoto, S et al. 2007. Verification report of high accuracy measurement technology by long distance and noncontact with the FSF laser optical coordinates measurement system. The 3rd International Conference on Structural Health Monitoring of Intelligent Infrastructure, Vancouver, November. Umemoto, S et al. 2008. The application of the frequencyshifted feedback laser optical coordinates measurement system for field measurement of bridges in service. The 4th International Conference on Bridge Maintenance, Safety and Management, Seoul, July.

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