As bridges age, make them smarter

There is a modest bridge outside of Munich, Germany. It’s only 20 meters long, spanning the Isen River in Schwindegg, and you would hardly notice it as you drove by. But beneath this aging, two-lane bridge perhaps lies the future of infrastructure management: nearly 150 sensors that record almost everything – pressure, strain, inclination, vibrations and even the temperature of the structure.

Why? Because it pays to know which bridges might be vulnerable to deterioration before it’s too late.

At a time when most countries struggle with infrastructure maintenance, Germany is using revolutionary digital twin technology to monitor and maintain critical structures.

Led by Dr. Stefan Küttenbaum and Johannes Wimmer, the project in Schwindegg is a collaborative effort involving the University of the Bundeswehr Munich (University of the German Armed Forces in Munich) and the district of Muehldorf am Inn. Küttenbaum is the Working Group Leader Critical Infrastructures at Chair of Concrete Structures, and Wimmer is a Research Associate. Prof. Thomas Braml leads the Chair of Concrete Structures. The initiative is part of the Next Generation EU program, aimed at enhancing the resilience and sustainability of critical infrastructure.

Many bridges in Germany were built over 60 years ago, with several standing for a century or more. Due to age-related deterioration and decades of constant use, repairs and improvements are urgently needed. However, limited resources — personnel, financial and material — make it impractical to overhaul every bridge. And yet, it’s hard to put a price on public safety. Citizens may wonder as they cross a bridge: “Is it safe?”

“We are now confronted with thousands of bridges that need immediate refurbishment or even replacement,” said Braml. “However, resources are too limited to replace every bridge, and longer lifetimes need to be considered.”

In addition to bridge safety issues, there are challenges involving data management and scalability. Managing and analyzing the vast amounts of data generated by monitoring systems across numerous bridges is complex. The challenge is to create scalable solutions that can be applied to multiple bridges, ensuring that even smaller districts with limited technical expertise can benefit from these systems.

There are also cybersecurity concerns. With the increasing importance of digital infrastructure and the sensitivity of the data involved, ensuring cybersecurity and data protection is critical. This includes developing systems that can operate securely in hybrid environments, which might pose risks.

The pursued solution lies in the innovative use of digital twin technology, powered by advanced data management solutions from NetApp. With the sensors, the team collects a wealth of data, which is then transmitted via an IoT gateway to a university data lake for analysis.

Bundeswehr University partnered with Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Engineering (IESE) to use digital twin technology, linking the physical and digital worlds by integrating disparate data sources – their provenance, workflows, and intelligence. The bridge project is the first real-world application of the digital twin technology from the beginning of its lifetime.

"Digital twins enable precise capture and analysis of bridge data in real time,” Braml said. “This enables smart, predictive maintenance management. The goal is to extend the remaining service life while simultaneously reducing resource consumption. This makes an important contribution to greater safety, efficiency, and sustainability in the infrastructure sector."

The sensors in the bridge feed a database that creates a digital image, which is then used to test processes and analyses; and the digital information is available in parallel for other projects or services. NetApp technology is used in a variety of ways:

• Data Storage: NetApp® StorageGRID® provides a high-performance, scalable storage solution that ensures all collected data is securely stored and easily accessible. StorageGRID allows for seamless integration with the existing IT infrastructure, ensuring that data from the sensors can be efficiently managed and retrieved.
• Data Security: Given the sensitive nature of infrastructure data, security is a top priority. NetApp provides comprehensive data protection features, including encryption and secure access controls to safeguard the data from unauthorized access. Additionally, the data is stored in a secure, private cloud environment, ensuring compliance with stringent data privacy regulations.
• Real-Time Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance: NetApp’s data management solutions enable real-time monitoring of the bridge’s condition. By integrating machine learning algorithms, the system can analyze patterns and predict potential issues before they become critical. This proactive approach to maintenance helps in extending the lifespan of the bridge and reducing the overall cost of repairs.

“We do this for the bridge operators, because they often have too limited resources in terms of time, budget and personnel to manage all the bridge assessment and inspection data and related information flows,” said Küttenbaum. “We find a way to help them and support them with digitalization. The technology allows us to manage and analyze large volumes of data efficiently, providing us with the insights needed to make informed decisions.”

• Scalability and Transferability: One of the most significant benefits of this project is its scalability. The system is designed to be applicable to a wide range of bridges, from small district roads to larger structures. This scalability is crucial for addressing the widespread issue of aging infrastructure.
• Data-Driven Insights: The project provides valuable data that can be used to make informed decisions about bridge maintenance and rehabilitation. For instance, the data collected has revealed that temperature-induced stresses on bridges can be more significant than those caused by traffic. This insight allows for more accurate predictions and better maintenance strategies.
• Enhanced Security: Given the sensitive nature of infrastructure data, the project also emphasizes cyber resilience. Data is stored in a secure, private cloud environment, ensuring that it is protected from unauthorized access.

The future of this project is promising, with plans to expand the digital twin technology to more bridges across Germany and around the world. Upcoming projects include the installation of sensors on new bridges and the application of machine learning algorithms to enhance data analysis.

“We are preparing everything with the data, looking at the sensors and seeing which are reliable and which are not,” said Wimmer.

The team also aims to integrate data from various sources, including satellite observations, to provide a comprehensive view of bridge health and performance.

Conclusion

This project showcases how digital twin technology, powered by NetApp’s advanced data solutions, can revolutionize bridge management, offering scalable, data-driven solutions to the challenges of aging infrastructure. By integrating advanced monitoring systems and ensuring data security, the initiative sets a new standard for infrastructure resilience and sustainability.