Case studies

Tecnopenta has developed a complete structural monitoring system for a bridge located on the A4 highway between Padua and Venice, installing 76 load cells connected to a data acquisition unit powered by a solar panel with remote data transmission.

The intervention, commissioned as part of an infrastructure maintenance and control project, enables continuous measurement of the tension in the stay cables of the bridge, with remote visualization and automatic alarms.

Stainless steel load cells: reliability and precision

The installed load cells are made of stainless steel and equipped with a strain gauge bridge, capable of accurately measuring the tensile force applied to the stay cables. Each load cell is designed to reduce temperature influence through internal thermal compensation, ensuring long-term reliability.

Measurements are managed by a low-power FlexLog system, which records data and transmits it via GPRS modem to the METRA web platform, where values can be viewed in real time and automatic alerts are generated in case of threshold exceedance or malfunction.

FlexLog data logger: acquisition and management unit

The core of the system is the FlexLog D1 data logger, installed inside an IP67 steel enclosure, protected against dust and moisture, mounted on a pole together with a 100W solar panel and an external Oscar antenna to ensure transmission continuity even in critical conditions.

The data logger manages 76 independent channels, one for each load cell, and stores data on an SD card to guarantee local backup even in the event of network interruptions.

Remote monitoring with the METRA platform

All data are transmitted to the METRA platform, a credential-protected web portal that allows users to:

• View real-time data
• Display graphs and tables
• Set customized alarm thresholds
• Receive email notifications
• Monitor battery status, signal strength and system integrity

METRA is designed to provide remote diagnostics and continuous decision-making support for the management of complex infrastructures.

Cabling and installation on the bridge

The system was installed following an orderly and protected layout:

• Multipolar cables from the load cells are housed in junction boxes fixed to the parapet of a walkway
• Each load cell line is routed to the data logger through a protective conduit
• Outdoor-rated cables were selected to ensure long-term resistance to weather and environmental stress