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Bridge Structural Health Monitoring for Live Infrastructure

Measure bridge vibration, deflection, geometry, and structural response across many points from a safe stand-off position. Ommatidia Laser RADAR combines non-contact geometry and motion measurement to reduce access and setup effort on live assets.

WHEN TO USE LASER RADAR

When this is the right fit

Live infrastructure constraints

Reduce dependence on lane closures, access platforms, and sensor-heavy field setups.

Low-frequency structural response

Capture deflection and vibration where sparse point sensing can miss important structural response.

Model validation needs

Bring field data into FEM validation and digital-twin workflows.

Monitoring path after diagnosis

Start with a field campaign and expand toward continuous observation when the asset requires ongoing review.

REDUCE FIELD BURDEN

Why teams move beyond contact-heavy setups

Accelerometer arrays, strain gauges, and other contact-heavy approaches can add installation time, safety constraints, cabling overhead, and limited coverage when the structure is large or difficult to access.

Ommatidia helps engineering teams measure from beneath or alongside the structure, reduce field burden, and capture structural response without adding mass to the asset.

From field setup to engineering review

Measure from beneath or alongside the asset, reduce cabling and sensor installation, capture wider structural response, and use the same measurement path for FEM validation or long-term monitoring.

Use cases and success stories

CIVIL APPLICATIONS

Used on real bridges, viaducts, and live civil assets

Bridge teams use Ommatidia to capture vibration and deflection remotely, reduce contact-sensor burden, and review structural response where access, safety, and service disruption matter.

Explore Application notes

TECHNICAL QUESTIONS

Questions bridge teams usually ask first

Can this work on a live bridge without lane closures?

Yes, when the measurement geometry and safety plan allow stand-off optical access. The Santa Eugenia footbridge example shows measurement on a live asset without traffic interruption and with less field instrumentation than a dense contact-sensor campaign.

How does this compare with accelerometer campaigns?

Accelerometers remain useful reference sensors, but dense campaigns add installation, cabling, access work and possible mass loading. Remote vibrometry is useful when wider structural response is needed from a stand-off position with less instrumentation on the asset.

Can it capture small deflections during live loads?

Yes. In the Tres Cantos bridge example, a rapid under-bridge deployment measured live-load deflection of about 0.3 mm during a truck passage. Suitability still depends on range, line of sight, surface return, motion bandwidth and validation requirements.

When should we use Q1S instead of Q1?

Evaluate Q1S for fixed-installation and longer-term structural monitoring. Evaluate Q1 for portable field campaigns, bridge dynamics and shorter stand-off measurement programs. Final selection should follow distance, channels, environment, outputs and validation needs.

Can the data support FEM or digital-twin model updates?

Yes. Q-Series measurements can capture structural-response data for engineering interpretation, FEM validation and digital-twin review. The measurement plan should define coordinate mapping, synchronization, uncertainty and the model parameters to be compared or updated.

CONTINUE EXPLORING

Related technical resources

Continue your bridge measurement review

Connect structural evidence to the right access model

Review the bridge workflow and the relevant Q-Series platform, then choose whether your team needs temporary system access or Ommatidia-delivered measurement evidence.