Iran Conducts First-Ever Vibration Test for Cable Tension Monitoring on Shushtar Cable-Stayed Bridge

According to Abbas Shakuri, Deputy Director General of the Road Maintenance and Technical Constructions Department at the Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization, the new method reduces monitoring costs by 90%, explaining that the conventional "lift-up" method, involving hydraulic jacks to counteract cable tension, was destructive, expensive, time-consuming and hazardous, particularly under traffic and loading conditions.
Mr. Shakuri elaborated on the mechanics of the vibration test, stating, "A sensor is attached to the cable to measure its vibrations, which can be induced by external forces or wind. By analyzing these vibrations, the tensile force within the cable is calculated with over 90% accuracy, ensuring proper functioning of cables, clamps, and related components for bridge maintenance."
Highlighting ongoing efforts to enhance the Shushtar bridge's structural integrity, Mr. Shakuri also noted that technological upgrades, including the installation of pendulum isolators, are 80% complete.
With only four cable-stayed bridges in Iran—the Shushtar, Sehbalutak and Lali bridges in Khuzestan, and the Astaneh Bridge in Guilan—Shakuri underscored the importance of adopting preventive asset management approaches for their maintenance, confirming plans to apply the vibration test method to these structures, given their complexity and critical value.
The Shushtar cable-stayed bridge, operational since 2006, spans 675 meters with a 150-meter main span. Located on the Dezful-Solomon Mosque road bypass, the bridge is a vital link in the region's transportation network.