SBIR Phase II: Remote IoT Monitoring Network for Early Warning and Measurement of Structural Movements

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be in deploying an easy-to-use roof monitoring system. This affordable high-performance geolocated wireless monitoring system detects unsafe loads and movements on buildings, especially flat commercial rooftops found on schools, distribution centers, office buildings, malls, factories, arenas, apartments, condominiums, and warehouses. This project will innovate scientific and technological advancements that realize the promise of the Internet of Things, generating not just useful products demanded by the marketplace but products that can save lives and fundamentally improve life cycle infrastructure management. The affordability of our technology directly benefits disadvantaged communities, especially in rural areas where resources are severely limited, and serious infrastructure and substandard building problems tend to linger for years. In 2015, it was reported on a major national channel that more than 160 roofs collapsed or faced imminent collapse in Massachusetts alone due to snow load throughout 2014-2015. This SBIR project will inform precisely where unsafe rooftop snow and water loads exist to ensure resources are allocated in advance and as required. The proposed project efficiently pinpoints risks in flat roof structures at an affordable cost. All 5.9 million commercial buildings in the USA are vulnerable to the destructive forces of nature and negligence. Out of building failures that occur for known reasons, accumulated ice, snow, and/or liquid water account for 33% of incidents. Dilapidation caused by a lack of maintenance, which makes up 30.7% of known-cause building failures, often develops slowly and is not apparent immediately. Complete or partial building collapses leave occupants at risk of mortal injury and the valuable property contained in the structure lost or damaged. Avoiding damage to large-scale infrastructure will save society significant resources and reduce lost productivity. Even minor collapses impact business continuity, affecting revenues and often the larger community, in the case of grocery stores and similar institutions. The sensor technology improves greatly upon current structural health monitoring methods, limited to single-dimension measurements, higher system costs, and complex installations. The project will develop sets of battery-powered wireless sensors and deploy them across several building rooftops. An intuitive online application will be developed to display building health data and provide users with alerts when loads exceed safety thresholds. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.