Italy’s complex geological setting exposes much of its territory to significant seismic risk, making the protection of strategic infrastructure—such as bridges—a national priority. Many existing bridges were designed according to outdated engineering standards and may no longer meet current performance expectations, particularly when subjected to seismic events, environmental stressors, and long-term material degradation. Preserving their structural integrity is therefore essential to safeguard public safety and ensure the continuity of transportation networks.

To address these challenges, the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure introduced updated guidelines in 2020, establishing a five-level framework for the management of bridge networks. This framework promotes a comprehensive, multi-hazard approach that considers landslides, hydraulic threats, operational loads, and, importantly, seismic activity. In a seismically active country such as Italy, continuous monitoring of critical infrastructure plays a fundamental role in risk mitigation and system resilience.

In this context, Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems have become indispensable for assessing structural conditions. Vibration-based techniques—particularly Operational Modal Analysis (OMA)—offer non-invasive tools for identifying anomalies by analyzing key dynamic parameters, such as natural frequencies and mode shapes. Recent advances in data-driven methodologies and automated modal identification have made these solutions increasingly scalable and suitable for real-time applications.

A prominent example is the large-scale monitoring campaign launched by Anas S.p.A., Italy’s leading infrastructure authority. This initiative combines inventory data, continuous dynamic monitoring, triggered strong-motion recordings, and advanced analytical methods across a wide network of bridges. By fostering collaboration between research institutions and infrastructure managers, Anas’s SHM program enables early detection of structural anomalies on a network scale and supports the implementation of preventive maintenance strategies. The application of SHM technologies across a wide range of bridge typologies—including landmark structures—enhances understanding of their behavior under both operational conditions and seismic actions, ultimately contributing to the safety, resilience, and longevity of Italy’s transportation infrastructure. This paper highlights key aspects of this initiative, with a focus on long-term monitoring in significant case studies and insights into strong-motion monitoring during seismic events.