Case Study: Client enhances railway bridge safety in Chile with Applus+ real-time bridge health monitoring

Client protects 3 railway bridges in Chile with Applus+ real-time monitoring

The client, a major railway operator in Chile, faced a critical challenge when extreme rainfall and flooding threatened the integrity of three of its century-old railway bridges located in remote areas without a stable power supply. Needing to ensure the safety of its trains, passengers, and goods, the client commissioned Applus+ to implement an emergency real-time structural health monitoring system.

Applus+ designed and installed an autonomous monitoring system using wireless triaxial tilt sensor nodes and its proprietary FlatMesh™ communication platform. This solution transmitted data to the Applus+ SIGTUN Infrastructure Monitoring Tool for real-time visualization and alarm management without requiring an external power source. The system successfully provided continuous data on the bridges' movements, enhancing operational safety, preventing potential failures, and extending the infrastructure's lifespan. The client was satisfied with the system's reliability and accuracy and expressed interest in expanding the technology to other assets.