Case Study of Long-Term Bearing and Expansion Joint Movement on a Prestressed Concrete Bridge

Bearings and expansion joints are critical elements of many bridges that permit deformations of the superstructure due to creep, shrinkage, and changes in temperature to occur without the development of longitudinal stresses. Despite their importance in ensuring the functionality and longevity of bridge structures, there is a lack of data in the literature on the long-term performance of bridge bearings and expansion joints, especially under harsh environmental conditions. This paper presents the results of a long-term monitoring campaign on the bearing and expansion joint movement on the Waaban Crossing bridge in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The bridge movement was measured using a low-cost microelectromechanical system and Internet of things-based monitoring system. The study results revealed that the monitored bridge structure was behaving as expected and that the observed long-term trends in the movement of the bearings and expansion joints were in agreement with the assumptions made in the design of the bridge. The paper also discusses the challenges surrounding the creation of a robust and reliable monitoring system in harsh climatic conditions.