METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING OF TENSIONED CABLES

摘要

Structural cables, for example those formed of a large number of wires and used in suspension bridges or cable-stayed bridges, are monitored by acoustic sensors. Breakage of a wire forming part of the cable gives rise to an acoustic signal. The signal is recorded and its location is found from the relative times at which it arrives at two sensors. Where sensors are located at the cable anchorage or on bands along the length of a suspension bridge cable, they can also monitor slippage of wires relative to the band or cable anchorage. The system preferably uses high resistance sensors and shielded cable. The outputs of different sensors are distinguished by a multiplexing technique or by identifying signals. In another embodiment, sensors placed about the circumference of a cable record signals from wire breaks and the signals are plotted to determine the location of the broken wire within the cross section of the cable.