Static testing of a bridge using an interferometric radar: the case study of “Ponte degli Alpini”, Belluno Italy

Ground-based Radar interferometry is an increasingly popular technique for monitoring civil infrastructures. In this paper the static testing of a bridge is reported. It was a 8-span bridge, 297 m long, named “Ponte degli Alpini”, crossing the valley of the Ardo river. The radar has been used for testing a lateral span and a central span. The obtained results present elements of novelty not previously reported in literature. In effect, some displacement measurements of the lateral span has been affected by a horizontal shift that has to be taken into account for a correct interpretation of the measured data. Furthermore, the measurements of the central span have been carried out with the radar positioned transversally with respect to the bridge deck, this unusual arrangement has allowed to obtain displacement maps less geometrically distorted with respect to other cases reported in literature.