Robotic Structural Damage Assessment Using Non-Destructive Testing Methods

Extreme weather erodes Department of the Air Force building facades and risks structural collapse. The Air Force assesses building damage using manual, time-consuming, and imprecise visual inspections that fail to identify underlying structural degradation. Current damage assessment processes only occur after extreme weather incidents or once a leak, hole, or crack appears. Airmen deploy on ladders or ropes along building facades, risking falls and injuries. Assessments take several hours and Airmen per building. Due to manpower and time constraints, structural damage may go undetected for months on certain buildings, until it is too late. aRobotics Company (aRoboticsCo) proposes to modify and adapt its NDTest-R robot to automate damage assessment activities so the Air Force can rapidly and safely identify structural damage in building facades. aRoboticsCo's NDTest-R robot uses various non-destructive testing technologies including GPR, Ultrasound, and Schmidt Hammer to inspect and detect structural issues. It can be deployed on virtually any DAF structure for the best possible structural assessment prior to repair. aRoboticsCo will perform an R/R&D feasibility study to modify and adapt the NDTest-R robot from its commercial uses to perform pavement evaluations for DAF flightlines in order to identify underlying damage and underground leaks. aRoboticsCo designs, manufactures, and operates a range of robotic systems that perform work on the interiors and exteriors of large and/or significant structures (skyscrapers, historical buildings, bridges, tunnels, etc.). We specialize in machines that optimize regulatory inspections, structural analysis, leak tracing, cleaning, and repair. Our operations and devices are certified appropriately (e.g. radar scanning meets stability and frequency standards), per ASME requirements. We have supported the Empire State Building, the Pendry Hotel, and One Grand Central Place in New York City. aRoboticsCo won the New York City Department of Buildings Innovation Challenge, outperforming approximately 100 well-established engineering firms.  Our robots complete jobs upto 30% faster and upto 45% cheaper than traditional methods while freeing up crucial manpower.