Value of information analysis accounting for data quality

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) can provide valuable information for maintenance-related activities and post-disaster emergency management. However, as with any technological system, SHM systems can be susceptible to errors due to malfunctioning. Therefore, it is essential to assess the potential for malfunctions and the associated costs of maintenance and repair when evaluating the long-term benefits of SHM systems. In the last two decades, sensor validation tools (SVTs) have been proposed to support decisions by isolating and discarding abnormal data. Recently, the authors of this paper have proposed a framework based on the Value of Information (VoI) from Bayesian decision analysis to account for different states of an SHM system and assess the benefit of SVT information. By quantifying the additional value obtained from SVTs, decision-makers can make more informed decisions about investing in these systems. This framework is here demonstrated on a real case study, namely the S101 bridge in Austria, which has been artificially damaged for research purposes. The benefit of collecting SHM and SVT information is quantified by considering a simple decision problem related to the management of the bridge in the aftermath of a damaging event. Overall, the study highlights the potential benefits of using SVTs to improve the reliability of SHM data and inform decision-making in the management of structures.