Examination of HM Portable Tanks within Transportation System

Portable tanks used to transport hazard materials are often subject to forces and stress, thermal cycle loading, and shock/vibration throughout the transportation process. It is an interest to assess what effects may occur during loading and unloading from one shipping mode to another and what conditions the HM packages will experience in that specific mode. An in-situ sensor system is proposed here, with small footprint and innovative power management solutions for long term monitoring of the portable tanks with minimal human intervention. Our system will monitor the strain/stress, temperature and humidity, shock and vibrations that the portable tanks experienced during their usage, and be able to provide comprehensive and concise data for post analysis. The proposed system will be tested in relevant environment in Phase I, and the prototype system will be field tested in Phase II of the program.