At an August 7 event, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey (R) highlighted the success of the state’s new Structural Health Monitoring or SHM system for bridges made possible by a federal SMART grant issued via the U.S. Department of Transportation in December 2024.
[Above photo via the West Virginia Governor’s Office]
The SHM system is a network of sensors to provide real-time data that allows engineers to quickly detect stress, movement, or potential structural damage, first installed on the Gunner Gatski Bridge in Huntington.
It includes accelerometers, crack meters, tilt sensors, and vessel collision detectors – tools that provide continuous data that allows engineers to quickly address threats that could go undetected for months or even years.
West Virginia is the first state in the country to use a Stage One SMART grant from USDOT specifically for this type of advanced bridge monitoring, Gov. Morrisey said in a statement.
“This innovative technology is a clear step toward building a safe future for every West Virginian who travels our roads and bridges,” he noted.
“This technology gives us a clearer picture of what’s happening on our bridges at any given moment,” added Todd Rumbaugh, secretary of the West Virginia Department of Transportation. “It’s a smarter, safer, and more cost-effective way to manage infrastructure and it helps us target our resources where they’re needed most.”
He noted that the successful implementation of the SHM system positions West Virginia to compete for a Stage Two SMART Grant, potentially bringing in up to $15 million more in federal funding to expand this sensor network to other high-risk bridges statewide.
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