Researchers at the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of Connecticut (UConn), in cooperation with the Connecticut Department of Transportation, engaged CTLGroup for technical consulting and software development to for data aggregation and visualization in support of bridge weigh-in-motion (BWIM) research.
CTLGroup developed a custom Web application service to collect and archive data obtained from UConn’s research-oriented instrumentation suite on a bridge carrying I-91 over a city street in Meriden, Connecticut. The research objective was to develop and refine algorithms for BWIM, a scheme by which measurements from sensors on the primary load-bearing system of a bridge are used to estimate gross weight and axle configuration of trucks crossing the bridge, effectively turning the bridge into a weigh station without interfering with the flow of traffic.
CTLGroup’s Web application service supported both aggregation of the raw strain measurements as well as output from various BWIM algorithms under development. The underlying database mechanism supported periodic updates and re-calculations as the BWIM algorithms evolved. Visualizations and reports of the raw measurements and BWIM calculations were displayed on-demand via a searchable interface on a password-protected Web site, making raw data and processed output available to all stakeholders in a convenient manner.
CTLGroup operated and maintained the data aggregation website for twelve months. Operation and maintenance included physically hosting the server, computing resources to operate the website and database software, and correcting minor disruptions due to data transmission or similar errors.
