Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
DRONES, cilt.10, ss.1-30, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Precise and continuous monitoring of thermal effects are critical for ensuring the structural safety of bridges and preventing potential failures. This study presents a methodology integrating unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based thermal measurements with Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) satellite data to assess and monitor the thermomechanical response of bridges. A three-dimensional (3D) finite element model (FEM) of a prestressed concrete (PC) bridge was developed and validated using in-situ displacement measurements. High-resolution, 3D temperature distributions of bridge elements were obtained daily and seasonally using UAV-based infrared thermography (UAV-IRT). Thermal maps were validated with point temperature measurements on the structure. Simultaneously, long-term wide-area deformation trends were investigated using satellite-based InSAR observations. The thermo-mechanical displacement behavior derived from UAV-IRT measurements was compared with historical InSAR-derived seasonal deformation patterns to develop an integrated multi-source structural monitoring framework. The behavior of the bridge in daily and seasonal temperature cycles was simulated and analyzed by integrating UAV-IRT thermal load data into FEM. Maximum stress levels occurring under the most adverse thermal loading conditions and over a one-year period were calculated, taking into account stress limits. The FEM revealed a maximum vertical displacement of 12.3 mm under extreme thermal loading, with tensile stresses in the deck mid-depth exceeding the 3.5 MPa limit, signaling a potential risk for thermally induced cracking. Integration of UAV-IRT thermal observations and historical InSAR deformation measurements revealed vertical temperature gradients of up to 24°C during summer conditions and indicated that the observed structural response was predominantly governed by thermo-elastic deformation. UAV-satellite methodology offers a rapid, economical, and comprehensive solution for structural health monitoring of bridges exposed to thermal effects.