FOR SURVEYING AND MONITORING COMPANIES

Bridge deformation monitoring for small and medium bridges

Bridge deformation monitoring for small and medium bridges

Measure the set-up once with your own total station, then leave TotaLite behind for continuous, millimetre-accurate data. No automated total station on site.

Check if your bridge qualifies

See how it works ↓

TotaLite sensor for bridge deformation monitoring on a small masonry bridge

Bridge deformation monitoring

Prism displacement (mm)
PrismdEdNdH
P10.42-0.180.09
P2-0.310.26-0.04
P30.12-0.370.15
P4-0.560.41-0.12
P50.280.080.06
P6-0.19-0.22-0.03

Timestamp: 10/9/2026, 8:28:37 PM

<1 hour

to install, guided by the mobile app

25 prisms

measured at once, up to 70 m away

Up to 65%

lower project cost than manual monitoring

Up to 70%

fewer manhours

A Fugro company

Used on bridge and infrastructure projects by Terra Measurements and Geo-Instruments

29%

of 35,260 communal bridges in France
are in significantly poor condition
Source: Cerema, 2025

THE PROBLEM

Small bridges need monitoring that nobody can afford to staff

Small bridges need monitoring that nobody can afford to staff

Most small bridges are too small to justify a $70,000+ automated total station (ATS). So they get a manual survey every few months, and movement between visits goes unseen until it's expensive to fix.

Most small bridges are too small to justify a $70,000+ automated total station (ATS). So they get a manual survey every few months, and movement between visits goes unseen until it’s expensive to fix.

HOW IT WORKS

How the bridge monitoring system works

How the bridge monitoring system works

STEP 1

Measure your prisms with your total station

Set up as you would for a manual survey. Your coordinate system and reference points stay the same.

STEP 2

Mount TotaLite in under an hour

The mobile app guides installation. No laptop, no cables, no pillar or mains power.

STEP 3

Take your total station to the next job

TotaLite measures every prism in view at the same moment, every 5 minutes, over its built-in SIM or ethernet.

STEP 4

Get alerts when the bridge moves

Watch every prism from the cloud platform and go back to site only when you need to.

FIT CHECK

Is TotaLite right for your bridge? Small bridge monitoring checklist

Is TotaLite right for your bridge? Small bridge monitoring checklist

All points to monitor are within 70 m of one sensor position

The sensor has a clear line of sight to the prisms (60° × 45° field of view)

The sensor has a clear line of sight to the prisms (60° × 45° field of view)

The bridge needs monitoring quarterly or more often

An ATS would be too expensive, or too likely to be stolen

An ATS would be too expensive, or too likely to be stolen

Typical projects

  • Ageing masonry and Victorian bridges

  • Bridges next to piling or excavation

  • Load tests that need simultaneous readings

  • Monitoring before and after repairs

For long-span bridges, use several sensors or an ATS.

Check if your bridge qualifies

WHY SURVEYORS CHOOSE TOTALITE

Built to be left on site

Fits your workflow

Anchored to your total station survey and reported in your coordinate system. Your deliverables don’t change.

All prisms at once

One image captures every prism in view, so load-test readings are truly simultaneous.

No recalibration

No moving parts. Temperature-stable diffractive optics replace servos and motors.

Corrects its own movement

Fixed reference points and an on-board accelerometer keep data reliable on structures that flex.

No site infrastructure

No pillar or mains power. Runs on 4–6 Wh from a battery, with optional solar, over SIM or ethernet.

Unattractive to thieves

Small and cheap to replace, unlike a €45,000 instrument left on a bridge overnight.

COMPARE

TotaLite vs automated total station vs manual monitoring

TotaLite vs automated total station vs manual monitoring

CRITERIA

TOTALITE

AUTOMATED TOTAL STATION

MANUAL MONITORING

Data

Continuous, every 5 min

Continuous

One snapshot per visit

Equipment cost per location

About 10× lower than an ATS

$70,000–100,000

Low

Set-up

Under 1 hour

Days of surveyor time

Every visit

Site infrastructure

None

Pillar, power, enclosure, control box

None

Calibration

None

Regular

Instrument checks

Project cost

Up to 65% lower than manual

Highest

About 3× TotaLite

Best for

Small and medium bridges

Large, high-risk assets

Infrequent checks

Not sure which fits your project? We’ll compare the costs for your bridge.

Not sure which fits your project? We’ll compare the costs for your bridge.

Check if your bridge qualifies

CASE STUDY

Branston Bridge: a 186-year-old bridge, monitored 24/7

Branston Bridge: a 186-year-old bridge, monitored 24/7

Terra Measurements monitors this Victorian bridge in Staffordshire, UK, with one TotaLite sensor and 7 prisms. Weekly site visits are no longer needed.

65%

lower project cost

70%

fewer manhours

24/7

stability insight

Partner: Terra Measurements · Structure: masonry arch bridge · Targets: 7

Read the Branston Bridge case study →

SPECIFICATIONS

Bridge displacement monitoring specifications

Bridge displacement monitoring specifications

Accuracy

Millimetre-level, up to 70 m

Targets

Up to 25 standard prisms (≥17 mm / 0.7 in)

Measurement interval

Every 5 minutes

Installation

Under 1 hour, mobile app

Show all specs

Download the full A2.0 datasheet →

FAQ

Bridge deformation monitoring FAQ

Bridge deformation monitoring FAQ

What is bridge deformation monitoring?

Bridge deformation monitoring measures how a bridge moves over time, such as settlement, deflection and tilt, by tracking fixed points on the structure. TotaLite does this continuously by following surveying prisms on the bridge from one optical sensor.

How does TotaLite work with my total station?

Can TotaLite monitor a bridge in 3D?

How often should a bridge be monitored?

How much does bridge monitoring cost?

Can TotaLite capture deflection during a bridge load test?

How is TotaLite powered on a remote bridge?

How long does installation take?

What are TotaLite’s limits?

NEXT STEP

Bring continuous monitoring to every bridge that needs it

Bring continuous monitoring to every bridge that needs it

Send us your bridge’s location and span. We’ll confirm the fit and compare the cost with your current approach within two working days.

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