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Dynamic identification · Ragusa

Monvia

Giovanni XXIII bridge · reinforced concrete arch bridge

The reinforced concrete arch bridge in central Ragusa
The arch bridge in central Ragusa. Photo: Giuseppe Occhipinti.
01

Knowing

Many Italian bridges are more than fifty years old, were built before seismic codes and still carry road and rail traffic: recent collapses show how much their condition needs to be followed over time. Continuous monitoring is the tool for detecting damage or structural anomalies early.

The bridge studied is a 1964 reinforced concrete arch in central Ragusa, a strategic link in the city's road network. It was not designed for seismic actions and lies in one of the most earthquake-prone areas in Europe. It was the test bed of the MonVia project, funded by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development.

02

Measuring

MonVia's main outcome is a multiparameter sensor box for continuous monitoring of structures and infrastructure: an ultra-sensitive, ultra-low-noise triaxial QMEMS accelerometer, a high-accuracy biaxial MEMS inclinometer and temperature, pressure and humidity sensors. The boxes can be wired and PoE-powered, are synchronised by a GNSS/GPS-based distributed PPS system and can also transmit over WiFi, tested at 200 samples per second.

A two-day operational modal analysis campaign, by day and by night under different traffic levels, identified the first frequencies of the bridge and defined the layout of the permanent sensors.

First five frequencies identified by operational modal analysis.
ModeFrequency [Hz]Mode shape
11.611Longitudinal bending involving the arch
21.719Transverse bending
32.339Vertical bending of the arches, asymmetric at mid-span
43.247Second-order transverse bending, largest at the ends of the viaducts
53.769Second-order longitudinal bending
03

Modelling

The dynamic behaviour was reproduced with three numerical models: a discrete macro-element model (DMEM, HiStrA software), a 3D finite element model and a shell FEM model. The first frequency is 1.53 Hz with DMEM, 1.919 Hz with the 3D model and 1.882 Hz with the shell model, against 1.611 Hz measured.

3D layout of the bridge with sensor positions, X, Y, Z measurement directions and restraints
Sensor layout.
04

Outcome

A sensor box designed and tested on a real bridge.

The OMA campaign set the permanent monitoring network and provided the data to calibrate the models: the DMEM macro-model estimates the first frequency within about 5%, while the FEM models overestimate it by 17–19%. The third mode shows an asymmetric behaviour at mid-span that deserves further study.

The study compared the MonVia sensor box with a commercial device, highlighting its strengths and limits for structural monitoring.

Images

The team on the bridge during the measurement campaign, 21 September 2022

Publications

  1. 2026Sensor placement and damage identification in the frequency domain: the case of Giovanni XXIII bridge in Ragusa
    D'Urso D., Rapicavoli D., Falco M., Fiore I., Occhipinti G., Cannizzaro F., Caddemi S., Caliò I. FABRE 2026, Rome
  2. 2024MonVia project: development and application of a new sensor box
    Patanè D., Yang W., Occhipinti G., Cannizzaro F., Oriti C., Caliò I. IOMAC 2024, Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering 515. DOI 10.1007/978-3-031-61425-5_65
  3. 2024Modelling a reinforced concrete arch bridge by means of the discrete macro-element model: the case of Giovanni XXIII bridge in Ragusa
    Cannizzaro F., Occhipinti G., Rapicavoli D., Oriti C., Patanè D., Caddemi S., Caliò I. Procedia Structural Integrity 62. DOI 10.1016/j.prostr.2024.09.099

Dynamic identification · Ragusa

Identified mode shapes

Vibration modes of the bridge identified from ambient vibrations with operational modal analysis. Pick a mode from the list, drag the 3D view to rotate it and start the animation to see the shape in motion.

Processed with the GOES OMA/SHM Toolbox · normalised shapes, amplitude magnified for readability

Contact

Tell us about your structure.

+39 339 5003643
info@giuseppeocchipinti.it
Via Ottorino Respighi 34
97100 Ragusa · Italy
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