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Hungarian engineers develop real-time bridge load monitoring technology
Overloaded lorries, ageing structures, and ever-increasing traffic are posing growing challenges to road networks worldwide. Now, a team of Hungarian engineers has developed an innovative technology capable of monitoring the exact load bridges are subjected to in real time.
More accurate measurement, fewer potholes
One of the biggest innovations of the development lies in the placement of the axle load sensors. Instead of embedding them in the asphalt surface, the BridgeAid engineers attach the sensors directly to the underside of the bridge deck. This approach represents a major improvement over traditional systems, as measurements are no longer distorted by surface deformation, thermal expansion, or potential damage to the road. The innovation therefore provides not only technological novelty but also more reliable and stable data collection.
Installation is also far simpler: there is no need for road closures, cutting into the asphalt, or traffic restrictions, meaning drivers hardly notice any intervention. Sensors embedded in the asphalt can create weak points in the surface – water can seep in along the cuts, freeze during winter, and accelerate pavement deterioration, leading to potholes. Mounting the sensors under the bridge eliminates these issues while offering a more precise and long-term sustainable solution for infrastructure managers.
Artificial intelligence analyses loads in real time
The system does not just collect data; it also analyses it – this is the second key innovation of the project. The signals collected by the sensors are processed by a custom-developed artificial intelligence algorithm trained on numerical models. This AI-based system can determine the number of axles a vehicle has, its speed, and the load transferred to the structure – both per axle and in total.
The technology was tested in a pilot project on the Monostori Bridge in Komárom, where the measurements were compared with those of Hungary’s National Toll Payment Services (Magyar Közút Zrt.). According to the results, the Hungarian innovation provided more accurate results than conventional asphalt-embedded systems currently in use.
Digital twin: A “living” bridge
The development also incorporates another modern innovation: the digital twin concept. This is a digital replica of the bridge that continuously monitors the structure’s condition using data from the sensors. The system allows engineers not only to react to issues retrospectively but also to predict fatigue processes and estimate the structure’s remaining lifespan.
The technology is particularly timely, as many European bridges were built during the post-World War II reconstruction wave and are now approaching the end of their design life. Innovations like this can help prevent catastrophic failures – a reminder of which is the 2018 Morandi Bridge collapse in Genoa, which claimed 43 lives.
A market in the hundreds of thousands
BridgeAid began as a university spin-off, and the team is now eyeing international markets. Europe and the United States host hundreds of thousands of road and railway bridges, representing a huge potential market for such technology.
The company is exploring both government (B2G) and industry partnership (B2B2G) collaborations to ensure the innovation is widely implemented. While decision-making for infrastructure projects is inherently slow, the engineers argue that the real question is not how much implementing the innovation costs, but what the financial consequences are of not having accurate data and a preventative approach.
Source: Forbes.hu
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