Intelligent Multi-Sensing Structural Health Monitoring Infrastructure

Structural health monitoring (SHM) is an emerging technology leading to the development of systems capable of continuously monitoring structures for damage, with minimal human intervention. There are several components required to design a successful SHM system, including sensors, communication and power systems. Current SHM efforts have focused mainly on sensing methods for damage detection, however the infrastructure needed to employ these methods has not been sufficiently addressed. In response to this STIR solicitation for wireless SHM sensor technology, Metis Design, with the help of MicroStrain and MIT plan to develop each appropriate component to meet SHM system requirements, and integrate them into an operational prototype. During previous Phase I research, piezoelectric-based methods were successfully demonstrated, and a wireless method for recharging a thin-film polymer battery was developed. The work plan for this Phase II work leverages these results to define the system architecture, develop a wireless transceiver and integrate each of these components together with the existing sensor and microprocessor components and battery. This sensor infrastructure will then be tested in a variety of environments in order to characterize its operational envelop. At the conclusion of this research, this device will be a product for several military and commercial applications.