bridge work Technology

Two companies aim for bridge work:

The problem: Bridges being upgraded face additional and abnormal strains because traffic patterns change and more cars run in a compressed area. The I-35W bridge in Minneapolis was under renovation when it fell last year, killing 13 people and injuring 145.

The research: Cleveland Electric Laboratories Co. and Roctest Ltd., which has offices in the Cleveland suburb of Mentor, both are working on sensors that detect strains before they become problems. Cleveland Electric Laboratories’ sensor is 11‚Ñ2 inches long and uses lasers reflecting through fiber-optic cable. Roctest’s system uses multiple sensors.

The uses: Both companies’ systems could be used when Cleveland upgrades the Interstate 90 Inner Belt Bridge. Repairs are scheduled to begin on that long bridge in two years, enough time for the companies to refine the technology. But the Ohio Department of Transportation says it will continue to rely on visual inspections for existing bridges.