Infrastructure performance monitoring and assessment

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Infrastructure in Canada and around the world is deteriorating due to age and the increasing user demands. What is needed is data about the performance of critical pieces of infrastructure that will allow engineers and managers to make the best use of scarce resources. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have significantly reduced the cost of monitoring systems by reducing both the installation and hardware costs, and can potentially provide the data required for structural evaluation. However, whilst WSNs show promise from an economic point of view, they are still not robust enough to support critical decision making. The development of new sensors and analysis tools is a key priority and the proposed research intends to address this priority by achieving seven research objectives: (i) development and initial calibration of a high resolution digital camera wireless sensor node to facilitate the measurement of displacement and strain data, (ii) advanced calibration of the camera node and development of software tools to detect cracks, deterioration and strains, (iii) development of software to automatically perform structural analysis using this damage and deterioration information and report anomalies, (iv) creation and calibration of a multi-node corrosion monitoring system for steel structures based on electrical current measurements and the necessary analysis software for the evaluation of deterioration of steel structures, (v) development of a WSN version of the steel structure corrosion detection system, (vi) field implementation of both of the sensor systems and (vii) exploration of other potential applications for the technology both in the structural engineering domain and beyond. This project will train 4 M.Sc. students and 2 Ph.D. students. Each student will develop the specific structural analysis skills required to perform the evaluation and assessment of complex structural systems such as the use of non-linear finite element software. They will also acquire skills in interdisciplinary areas such as WSN systems and non-destructive structural evaluation. These skills will give them the opportunity to work in areas of critical and high-demand in Canada and internationally.