Instrumentation and Monitoring
Wanapum/Priest Rapids Automation
Wanapum Dam and Priest Rapids Dam, located on the Columbia River in central Washington, are hydroelectric dams which have operated since 1963 and 1961, respectively. The structures play a crucial role in the region’s power generation, along with supporting irrigation, recreation, and fish passage. Both dams are owned and operated by the Grant County Public…
Read MoreThe Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge
he Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge (Q Bridge) is a twin extradosed structure carrying Interstate 95 over the Quinnipiac River in New Haven, Connecticut. Since its opening in 2012, inspectors have noticed cracking in several areas of the bridge, including the tops of the prestressed concrete box girders, the faces of the cable-stay towers, and near cable anchorages at…
Read MoreProtecting a Medical Facility During Adjacent Construction
During a major construction project adjacent to the Oxford House at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), excavation activities raised concerns about potential impacts on the structural integrity of the building. To proactively address these concerns, construction contractor Robins & Morton engaged BDI to implement a real-time monitoring program designed to ensure the safety of the facility and its occupants throughout…
Read MoreMonitoring the Sunshine Skyway Bridge
Carrying I-275 over Tampa Bay, the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge is a cable-stayed structure that plays a vital role in Florida’s transportation network. To support long-term performance monitoring and asset management, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) contracted BDI to install a structural health monitoring system focused on capturing vibration behavior of the bridge.…
Read MoreNorris Bridge Rehabilitation
The Robert O. Norris, Jr. Bridge is slated for replacement beginning in 2028. In the interim, critical repairs are underway to ensure the bridge continues to safely serve the surrounding communities. These repairs are scheduled for completion by September 2026. BDI is proud to support the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in this important effort.…
Read MoreEvaluating the Newark Airport Monorail Guideway
As part of the evaluation of the Newark Airport Monorail Guideway, BDI completed live-load testing, deflection modeling, and a 90-day continuous monitoring program to assess how the guideway was performing under real-world operating conditions. Instrumentation was installed at three representative sections of the guideway, with sensors placed on both the track girders and supporting piers.…
Read MoreEmergency Monitoring of Bridge Closed Due to Settlement
BDI was engaged by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to support emergency monitoring efforts at the Route 644 bridge over the Meherrin River in Brunswick County, VA. The bridge had been closed due to settlement at its central pier, possibly due to scour, which prompted the need for real-time tracking of structural movement during…
Read MoreMonitoring the Marine Parkway Bridge for Long-Term Performance
BDI was selected to design and install a permanent structural health monitoring (SHM) system for the Marine Parkway Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge in New York City. Working in collaboration with CRC Associates and the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA), BDI developed a custom monitoring solution as part of mechanical and electrical upgrades to this movable bridge…
Read MoreCLT Instrumentation
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is undergoing a major expansion with the addition of a fourth parallel runway. Scheduled to open in 2027, the new 10,000-foot runway is designed to accommodate increasing passenger traffic and enhance operational efficiency. To support their research on pavement performance, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) partnered…
Read MoreBallard Bridge Monitoring
The Salmon Bay Bridge is a single-leaf bascule and steel truss bridge that carries two tracks of the BNSF Railroad between Magnolia and Ballard in Seattle, WA. Built in 1912, it has served as a vital component of Seattle’s rail and waterway infrastructure for over a century. Today, the bridge accommodates approximately 30–40 train crossings…
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