Bridge Condition Monitoring and Assessment using Sensors in Low-Power RF Networks
Primary research effort is on the development and deployment of dense low-cost sensors interfaced with low-power RF communcations networking (wireless sensor networks) to obtain real-time vibration, strain, and temperature measurements from in-service highway bridges. From these case studies, condition assessment methodologies, in the form of structural identification, damage diagnostics routines, and experimental load ratings, are applied to derive information of value to bridge inspection and maintenance engineers.
NDE of Fire-Damaged Prestressed Double Tee Roof Joists
In order to assess potential structural vulnerabilities resulting from fire exposure to prestressed double-tee roof joists, the research team will employ a suite of non-destructive tests. Existing double-tee joists in the front of the church where fire damage was nominal provide a baseline for comparison to the joists in the region of interest. The non-destructive tests include:
- Impact-Echo Testing
- Input-Output Experimental Modal Analysis
- Windsor Probe
- Experimental Load Rating
Underground Wireless Sensor Networks for Distributed Sensing of Buried Infrastructure
NSF EAGER funding obtained to investigate translation of sub-1GHz terrestrial wireless sensor network technology to underground applications. Project will utilize recent advances in chip transceiver sensitivity and selectivity improvements as well as chip-based RF front-ends to extend communication ranges. The study will examine the influence of soil composition and moisture on absorption losses as well as the relative effect of modulation formats on transmission characteristics.
Water Quality Measurements using a Novel Buoyancy Controlled Drifting Sensor Platform (BCDSP)
Collaborative project aims to develop a low-cost, solid-state water quality sensing platform with capabilities for autonomous, drifting operating. A novel inertial navigation systems with high-rate digital signal processing will be integrated to permit temporal location and orientation data for profiling. The platform is targeted to increase the spatial density and temporal frequency of water quality measures on available towed platforms with reduced cost afforded by systems integration of discrete sensing electronics.
