Affordable Sensor Technologies for Infrastructure Condition

The proposed Phase I project is the design and development of a wireless comprehensive sensor system for structural health assessment and monitoring. The final goal will be a system consisting of sensor modules or packages which can be permanently placed at the selected critical locations within a structure and which are powered and communicate wirelessly with a master station. The sensor modules will employ a complement of strain, deflection, acceleration, and temperature sensors. This design would enhance quantitative structural damage assessment for a variety of applications by providing sensor systems which eliminate the problems of wiring and recurring maintenance for power. The design will be focused on developing the monitoring systems for optimum reliability, ease of installation and use, and low-cost to facilitate their widespread application. The technology has widespread military and commercial applications for material damage assessment in large structural systems such as buildings bridges, pipelines, dams, etc. The multisensor modules could be used for both serviceability and damage assessment needs and would provide the features that are needed, and currently lacking, for a commercially viable approach to the infrastructure problem.