MEASUREMENT OF ICE ACCRETION AND PERSISTANCE AT UNMANNED SITES

A SIMILAR METHOD TO MEASURING ICE ON A VIBRATING WIRE IS USED TO MEASURE PERSISTENT ICE ON SMALL STRUCTURES. THE MEASURMENT OF VIBRATION OF STRUCTURAL MEMBERS WILL UTILIZE AN ACCELEROMETER; IT PRODUCES A VERY SENSITIVE RESULTS FOR A WIDE DYNAMIC RANGE OF ATTACHED ICE MASS. A SMALL TAPPING MECHANISM WILL BE DEVELOPED TO INDUCE FREQUENCY VIBRATION. SIGNAL CONDITIONING AND PROCESSING ARE PROPOSED, INCLUDING USE OF A MICRO-CONTROLLER, A CRYSTAL CONTROLLED WAVE-LENGTH TIMER AND OTHER APPROACHES. PHASE I WILL CONSIST OF SEVERAL PRIMARY STEPS; 1) SELECTING APPROPRIATE ACCELEROMETERS(S) FOR A VARIETY OF STRUCTURAL MATERIALS TO BE TESTED; 2) ANALYZING THE VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR SIGNAL PROCESSING; 3) SELECTING APPROPRIATE POWER DEVICES; AND 4) PERFORMING BASIC TESTS TO ESTABLISH THE TECHNIQUE AND TO CLEARLY IDENTIFY THE ADDITIONAL RESEARCH NEEDED TO MKE THE PRODUCT COMMERCIALLY VIABLE. A WORKING SYSTEM AND A FINAL REPORT WILL BE PROVIDED.