Analysis Using the Case-based Method of Historical Instrumented Bridges in Chile

Bridges are critical infrastructure assets. In Chile, the Ministry of Public Works manages more than 7,300 bridges and the State Railways Company oversees 345. The country has increasingly adopted sensor-based instrumentation to support bridge life-cycle management in line with Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) principles. This study presents a systematic literature review combined with a detailed casuistic analysis of 92 instrumented bridges, encompassing 106 distinct instrumentation initiatives. Drawing on expert consultations, institutional records and field visits, the bridges were classified according to structural typology, life-cycle phase and sensor characteristics (type, quantity, location and purpose). Results show that bridge instrumentation in Chile has not yet been integrated into a comprehensive national SHM system. Most applications have focused on seismic behaviour, although attention to hydraulic events (scour) has grown in recent years. Such instrumentation is generally regarded as temporary rather than permanent, and neither a centralised historical record nor a national data platform currently exists. The findings highlight important gaps and provide a robust foundation for the development of regulatory frameworks and the advancement of permanent SHM implementation in Chile.