Contrast analysis on the optimal sensor placement approaches for a bridge structure

With the background of a suspension bridge model, the optimal sensor placement approaches were respectively adopted to locate the sensor placement on the deck of bridge. This paper discussed the differences among these approaches, such as the effective independence, the modal assurance criterion, the genetic algorithm based on the modal assurance criterion and the genetic algorithm based on the variance matrix approaches. Their optimization effects also were analyzed in contrast with MAC, fisher matrix and modal matrix conditions. The results show that the same optimization approach but different monitoring mode will lead to different sensor position; the different approach but the same monitoring mode also bring about different sensor position. Therefore, the best optimization must be selected according to different situation of bridge.