Wireless sensor network for long-term structural health monitoring of buildings and infrastructures
(2009)
Damage commonly occurs in buildings when a component fails suddenly with a
partial or total collapse as a consequence. This type of event leads to serious damage to property
and if it is a bridge or a large hall, then people in particular are at risk. The often great age of
bridges and the increasing volume of traffic (particularly heavy traffic) which they are expected
to carry are in clear contradiction to each other. Thus the probability increases that the loadbearing
capacity of a bridge decreases rapidly and often unnoticed with sometimes dire
consequences.
In order to prevent such accidents, the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing is
currently developing a special radio-based, self-configuring measuring system in cooperation
with the Berlin-based ScatterWeb Company. This measuring system consists of a number of
identically designed sensor nodes which are self-sustaining, need no wiring, can act as both
transmitters and receivers and are equipped with a special sensor technology making long-term
monitoring of buildings or engineering facilities possible. The sensor unit uses strain gauges for
stress analysis and contains interfaces for additional sensors. The system in particular applies to
buildings and structures for transport and traffic and large-scale industrial facilities, where a
subsequent wiring installation is difficult or impossible.
Damage to buildings occurs if a construction component fails. The result is a partial or total collapse which can be dangerous for people for example if it's a bridge or a large hall. The collapse of the terminal building at the Airport Charles de Gaulle in Paris and the damage at the historic City Archives of Cologne are typical examples of such accidents. Another problem is the contradiction of the increasing volume of traffic (particularly heavy traffic) and the great age of bridges. The probability increases that the load-bearing capacity of a bridge decreases. For example the collapses of the Mississippi Bridge and of the Inntal Motorway Bridge can be seen as results. Therefore it is necessary to control endangered structures during their life span.
In order to prevent these kinds of accidents, the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing developed a radio-based, self-configuring measuring system in cooperation with the ScatterWeb Company, Berlin (Germany). This measuring system consists of identically designed sensor modules which are self-sustaining, wireless, act as transmitters and receivers and are equipped with a special sensor technology for long-term monitoring of buildings or engineering facilities. The sensor unit uses strain gauges for stress analysis and contains interfaces for additional sensors. The system in particular applies to buildings and structures for transport and traffic and large-scale industrial facilities, where a subsequent wiring installation is difficult or impossible.