Fiber Sensing
GeoDetect® Synthetic with fiber sensing
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.
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.