Some issues in the structural health monitoring of a railway viaduct by ground based radar interferometry

Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) is extensively used as a tool for the modal identification and the Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of civil constructions. However, the classical experimental techniques based on the use of accelerometers involve high costs and long times for performing the measurements, and often interrupting the service of the construction is also needed. In this paper, with reference to the specific case study of the identification of modal parameters of a typical span of a railway viaduct, we analyze the capability and the possible improvements of the ground based radar interferometric experimental set-up. This analysis is aimed at developing a fast, inexpensive and practical procedure for the periodic monitoring of the viaduct.