Remote sensing of bridge displacement using digital image processing techniques

In this study, an optical method of real-time displacement measurement of such bridges was carried out by means of digital image processing techniques. A commercially available digital video camera combined with a telescopic device takes a motion picture of the target panel with known geometry, which is installed on the measurement location of a bridge. The displacement of the target is calculated based on the captured images in real-time manner using image processing techniques, which require a texture recognition algorithm, projection of the captured image, and calculation of the actual displacement using target geometry and number of pixels moved. For the purpose of verification of the presented method, a laboratory test was made using shaking table test and the measured displacement by image processing techniques was compared with the data from a contact-type sensor, a linear variable differential transformer (LVDT The proposed method gave close results to a conventional sensor. Field tests were carried out on a bridge with steel plate girders and a bridge with steel box girders. The test results gave sufficient dynamic resolution in frequency as well as the amplitude.