Fiber Optic Sensing
Installation of GeoDetect® fiber optic geosynthetic product line
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The Challenge
- First-of-its-kind I-70 bridge in the country
- Utilizes Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil – Integrated Bridge System (GRSIBS)
- Address uneven settlement with smooth roadway transition
A bridge replacement project on I-70 over Smith Road and the Union Pacific Railroad in Aurora, Colorado, will be the first in the country to use a Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil – Integrated Bridge System (GRSIBS) for a multi-span bridge on an Interstate. Instead of conventional bridge support technology, GRS-IBS technology uses alternating layers of compacted granular fill material and fabric sheets of geotextile reinforcement to provide support for the bridge.
GRS also provides a smooth transition from the bridge onto the roadway, and alleviates the “bump at the bridge” problem caused by uneven settlement between the bridge and approaching roadway. Colorado received a $2 million grant for the groundbreaking project.
The Solution
Through experience and training in fiber optics and as system integrator with Micron Optics (MOI), Geocomp has become TenCate’s installer for their GeoDetect® fiber optic geosynthetic product line. In this application, thirteen strips of the GeoDetect® geosynthetic were placed in multiple lifts during the construction of the GRS Bridge abutments to document stress distribution in layers down the depth of the abutment. The GeoDetect® sensors are permanently wired to a remotely positioned MOI interrogator data collection unit for continuous monitoring of soil performance.
The technology offers unique advantages in the construction of small bridges, including: reduced time and cost from conventional construction methods (25-60%), easy to build and maintain, and flexible design that can be easily modified in the field.
