IoT monitoring and predictive analytics for safer road infrastructure

Predictive analytics and IoT monitoring technologies are improving the management of road networks to increase their safety and efficiency. Indeed, bridges, viaducts and road surfaces are continuously subjected to mechanical stresses generated by heavy traffic and natural wear and tear that can compromise their stability and safety. The integration of smart sensors with advanced data analysis platforms enables real-time monitoring of the state of infrastructure, providing an accurate and continuous overview of its structural condition.

These technologies are part of the broader concept of Smart Road, an approach that aims to transform road infrastructure into intelligent systems capable of dialoguing with vehicles with the goal of improving traffic safety and efficiency through the combined use of advanced technologies such as IoT monitoring and automation.

The goal is to identify any critical issues in advance and predict when and where to intervene, avoiding structural problems while optimizing maintenance resources. IoT monitoring, in particular, serves as the mainstay for a number of solutions that are innovating and increasing road safety such as, for example, Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) and Weigh-in-Motion (WIM).

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) platforms are an advanced solution to ensure the safety and stability of infrastructure by monitoring its health status in real time. This technology, which leverages IoT monitoring systems, enables detection of any signs of damage or abnormal stress, providing continuous monitoring and proactive protection against structural hazards.
SHM systems are based on two main components that work in synergy:

• IoT sensors installed on bridges, viaducts and other critical structures: they constantly detect key parameters such as vibrations, applied forces, displacements and other stresses that could compromise the stability of the structure.
• Data analysis platforms: information collected from sensors is processed through predictive analysis algorithms in order to accurately detect any damage or anomalies, sending early warnings in case of critical situations and thus preventing the risk of infrastructure failure.

Integration of SHM platforms with dynamic vehicle weight monitoring(Weigh-in-Motion) further enhances the ability to predictively and accurately manage stresses acting on infrastructure, enabling a combined and comprehensive approach that allows early intervention with preventive maintenance to avoid critical issues.

Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) technology is an advanced strategy for highway pavement management based on continuous monitoring of the passage of heavy vehicles. This system is based on an intelligent infrastructure that integrates IoT sensors, cameras and predictive analytics platforms, creating an efficient and accurate control process.

The operation of WIM technology depends on a few key components that work in synergy to ensure accurate and constant monitoring:

• IoT sensors placed under the road surface that accurately detect the weight of passing vehicles, analyzing load distribution and identifying potentially harmful overloads. The sensors transmit the collected data in real time to a central system, ensuring constant monitoring.
• Cameras installed at strategic points that capture images of license plates of vehicles exceeding the allowed weight limits.
• Central system for processing data collected from sensors and cameras and analyzed by platforms that leverage predictive analytics algorithms. This enables not only the detection of violations in real time and transmission to the relevant authorities, but also the generation of detailed reports on traffic and infrastructure conditions.