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An Optimal Real-Time Structural Health Monitoring System: An Interdisciplinary Approach

This document discusses the need for an optimal real-time structural health monitoring system using an interdisciplinary approach. It notes that as infrastructure grows more complex, monitoring structural integrity is important for safety. The document outlines a two-step scope of work: 1) Thoroughly investigate sensor performance and suggest an optimal wireless sensor network solution. 2) Evaluate and analyze large amounts of sensor data based on structural theory to propose an optimal smart sensor system that processes responses from multiple sensors to detect damage using models and probabilistic assessment. The goal is a cost-effective, portable system for monitoring bridges in real-time.

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KusumaChavan
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40 views4 pages

An Optimal Real-Time Structural Health Monitoring System: An Interdisciplinary Approach

This document discusses the need for an optimal real-time structural health monitoring system using an interdisciplinary approach. It notes that as infrastructure grows more complex, monitoring structural integrity is important for safety. The document outlines a two-step scope of work: 1) Thoroughly investigate sensor performance and suggest an optimal wireless sensor network solution. 2) Evaluate and analyze large amounts of sensor data based on structural theory to propose an optimal smart sensor system that processes responses from multiple sensors to detect damage using models and probabilistic assessment. The goal is a cost-effective, portable system for monitoring bridges in real-time.

Uploaded by

KusumaChavan
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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“An Optimal Real-time Structural Health Monitoring System:

An Interdisciplinary Approach”

Need for interdisciplinary work


As there are advancements in the technologies and new materials are discovered, there is
a rapid growth in the infrastructure; buildings get taller, long span bridges are being constructed,
design of structure is becoming more complex. In view of these infrastructural developments,
there is an increased demand and concern for the Engineers to provide maintenance and a safer
environment by monitoring the health of the structures on a regular basis.
Lifeline structures such as bridges/flyovers are more critical, and hence require intricate
inspection and monitoring system. The development of effective structural health monitoring
(SHM) methods has gained traction amongst the research community in recent years. A typical
health monitoring system is composed of a network of sensors that measure the parameters
relevant to the state of the structure and its environment, such as temperature, stress,
delamination, strain, vibration, and humidity. Accurate, robust, fast response and long term
reliable sensors are necessary for in situ structural health monitoring. Although many types of
sensors have been developed and demonstrated, the potential for innovative high-performance in
situ sensors is increasingly evident.
The ability to continuously monitor the integrity of structures in real-time can provide for
increased safety to the public, particularly for the aging structures. The ability to detect damage
at an early stage can reduce the costs and down-time associated with repair of critical damage.
Observing and/or predicting the onset of dangerous structural behavior, such as flutter in bridges,
can allow for advance warning of such comportment and commencement of removal of the
structure from service for the protection of human life.
Rapid advances in sensors, wireless communication, Micro Electro Mechanical Systems
(MEMS), and information technologies have the potential to significantly impact SHM. To assist
in dealing with the large amount of data that is generated by a monitoring system, on-board
processing at the sensor allows a portion of the computation to be done locally on the sensor’s
embedded microprocessor. Such an approach provides for an adaptable, smart sensor, with self-
diagnosis and self-calibration capabilities, thus reducing the amount of information that needs to
be transmitted over the network.
Scope of Work
This research focuses on Real-Time Structural health monitoring (SHM) of life-line
structures (bridges/flyovers). As outlined below, majority of work revolves around selection,
deployment and analysis of sensors with a sound understanding of structural parameters.

The work is planned to be carried out in two steps:


Step #1
A thorough real time investigation on the accuracy and performance of the structure will be
undertaken using different types of Smart Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) such as
Accelerometers (piezo-electric or spring mass), strain sensors, corrosion sensors, Linear
Voltage Differential Transducers (LVDT), Optical fiber sensors (Fiber Bragg Grating sensor) to
suggest an optimal solution.

Justification for step #1:


As each structure is unique, the monitoring system implemented should also be unique. SHM
requires the installation of a large number of sensors throughout a structure capable of collecting
sensed data. The collected data is processed such that decisions about the structure’s overall
health can be made. One of the most important considerations when designing an SHM system is
the selection of sensors and sensed parameters. Factors such as sensor power consumption and
sensed parameters influence overall network design by influencing routing protocol selection,
damage detection algorithm selection, damage localization algorithm selection, and network
lifespan. In order to correctly capture the response of a given structure, sensors need to be
installed at various locations and data should be collected at an appropriate sampling rate for a
sufficient period of time. The sensing and acquisition of the above parameters requires the
utilization of specific sensors.
The high data collection rate of WSNs for SHM pose unique network design challenges. This
study aims at using WSNs outlining the algorithms used in damage detection and localization,
outlining network design challenges, and future research directions. Solutions to network design
problems such as scalability, time synchronization, sensor placement, and data processing are
developed. This work also provides an overview of real-time deployments of WSNs for SHM.
Step #2
Evaluating and analyzing sensor data based on the theory of structures:
The huge amount of data logged in from various sensors are next to be analyzed from structures
perspective. The performance of a structure is assessed by studying various parameters with
respect to mechanical (strain, displacement, crack, load, stress, dampness, stiffness), physical
(temperature) and chemical (rebar oxidation) aspects and also by studying the design parameters.
After a thorough investigation, an optimal smart sensor system would be proposed which
processes multiple output responses from a sensor system, analyzes them for damage detection
using a combination of FE-models, probabilistic based assessment and monitoring of a bridge
( as suitable) that would be cost effective and portable.

-
- Dr. K.P.Lakshmi, Dr. M.A.Jayaram, Mrs. Kusuma.B
Objectives:
1. To propose an optimal smart sensor system which processes multiple output
responses from a sensor system.
2. To relate the data obtained from sensors to stress parameters.
3. To develop a mathematical model to predict the life span of a bridge and to assess
the degree of structural damage.

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