High-tech Sensors Help Spot Potentially Fatal Problems With Bridges

The highway bridge over Salt Creek in Elmhurst is arguably the safest water crossing in Illinois. It should be, because it has been monitored for trouble more than any other bridge in the state.

The span, near the intersection of Illinois Highway 83 and St. Charles Road, faces no sudden danger of falling down, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. But on a 1-to-8 scale assessing the risk of the bridge foundation failing under certain circumstances, the Salt Creek bridge was rated a 3 by IDOT, where 1 is the worst.

Rising and falling water levels stir up the bridge's creek-bed foundation and cause soil erosion at times of flooding and seasonal changes. IDOT officials conferred with researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago, who are paying attention to the area where the bridge piers are secured underwater. It is the focus of an experimental project to remotely monitor the safety and "structural health" of bridges around the clock, like constantly checking a hospital patient's vital signs