PSI - Issue 84

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ScienceDirect

Procedia Structural Integrity 84 (2026) 638–644

© 2026 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Conference Keywords: Dynamic characterization; Load cells on stays; Structural Healath Monitoring; Cable-stayed bridges. Abstract This study presents an innovative and cost-effective approach for the structural health monitoring (SHM) of cable-stayed bridges, exploiting load-cell measurements on the stay cables for both static force monitoring and vibration-based dynamic assessment of the whole structure. By capturing high-frequency force fluctuations, load cells serve a dual purpose: (i) monitoring variations in axial cable forces and (ii) identifying the bridge’s dynamic properties through Operational Modal Analysis (OMA). This strategy enables a reduction in the number of sensors typically required—such as accelerometers installed on the deck—thereby simplifying both the monitoring system architecture and data management. A key feature of the proposed method is the introduction of an optimal sensor placement (OSP) algorithm, designed to identify the most informative stay cables to be instrumented, thus maximizing monitoring efficiency. The methodology is validated through a real-world application on a recently constructed cable stayed bridge in central Italy, equipped with a comprehensive monitoring system. Data collected over nearly three years are used to compare modal parameters identified from load-cell measurements with those obtained from deck-mounted accelerometers. Results confirm the reliability and accuracy of the load-cell-based approach, highlighting its strong potential for the development of SHM systems for cable-stayed bridges. III Fabre Conference: Existing Bridges, Viaducts, and Tunnels: Research, Innovation, and Applications Potential of Load Cells in the Static and Dynamic Monitoring of Cable-Stayed Bridges Vanni Nicoletti a *, Simone Quarchioni a , Sandro Carbonari a , Fabrizio Gara a a Dept. of Construction, Civil Engineering and Architecture (DICEA), Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60131, Anonca, Italy

* Corresponding author. E-mail address: v.nicoletti@univpm.it

2452-3216 © 2026 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Conference 10.1016/j.prostr.2026.06.082