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Ständig überwacht
(2012)
The Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) or
Kolsky Bar is known as a method for analysing
mechanical properties of a material under dynamic
load. Referring to the name it is a splitted
Hopkinson Pressure Bar. The Hopkinson Bar is
related to its inventor Bertram Hopkinson (1914).
He used it to analyze stone samples under dynamic
load. Later his construction was improved by
Davies (1948) [1] and Kolsky (1949) [2], who had
the idea to split the bar and put a sample in
between.
The technique is used to measure a lot of
different mechanical properties of a material e.g.
the dynamic Youngs modulus, deformation
behaviour or to chart the dynamic stress-strain
diagram. Further applications are the measurement
of the elastic wave and the analysis of the
propagation of the wave [2]. In the last years there
was still an interest in measuring dynamic
properties with a SHPB. Nevertheless no
comprehensive validation of the system exists.
Another problem is that the stress and the strain in
the sample are only calculated with simplified
estimations.
The aim of this paper is to give a first
impression of important points validating the
system. On account of different setups of the
SHPB a validation of the used system is necessary.
Hence it is important to look at the theory. Further
in this paper the measurement results will be
shown in a strain over time diagram.
In this study a method for early damage detection is investigated based on the directed excitation and measuring of Lamb waves (guided waves). The objective is to make a statement about the practicability of a Lamb wave generator (LWG) and about the application relevant parameters (specimen materials and dimensions, wave characteristics, excitation, transmission und reflection). Guided waves enable an effective differentiation of structural and defective indications as well as a classification of different defect types. For the investigations, a LWG was developed which combines the advantages of the single excitation of a piezoelectric actuator and the possibility of a group excitation. Algorithms were developed to identify and analyze damage patterns (cracks, wholes, weakening).
BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, in cooperation with the company MeGaSen UG carries out a research project to enhance and validate an innovative approach for distributed subsurface monitoring of gas storage areas. The concept combines different measurement technologies to one multifunctional sensor: membrane-based gas measurement technology for in-situ monitoring of gases in soil and fiber optical sensing of temperature and strain (as a measure for structural change). Key aspect of the research project is the first-time validation of the system in an application relevant dimension. For this purpose a 20 x 20 m2 test field is build. A comprehensive validation of the system is carried out by systematic variation of different parameters like position-dependent gasinjection, temperature and mechanical impact.
A 400 m² soil test field with gas injection system was built up, which enables an experimental validation of linear gas sensors for specific applications and gases in an application-relevant scale. Several injection and soil watering experiments with carbon dioxide (CO2) at different days with varying boundary conditions were performed indicating the potential of the method for, e.g., rapid leakage detection with respect to Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) issues.
A 400 m² soil test field with gas injection system was built up, which enables an experimental validation of linear gas sensors for specific applications and gases in an application-relevant scale. Several injection and soil watering experiments with carbon dioxide (CO2) at different days with varying boundary conditions were performed indicating the potential of the method for, e.g., rapid leakage detection with respect to Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) issues.
Real-time wind estimation on a micro unmanned aerial vehicle using its inertial measurement unit
(2015)
This paper presents an approach for a quadrocoper-based micro unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that estimates the wind vector (speed and direction) in real-time based on measurement data of its on-board sensors only. This method does not need any additional airspeed sensor or dedicated anemometer, and thus the micro UAV's valuable payload remains free for other sensors. Wind tunnel and field tests were used to evaluate the performance of the approach. In order to quantify its accuracy, experiments are presented where data was collected with an anemometer placed in an open field with the micro UAV in flight following a predefined trajectory around the anemometer and hovering at a defined position close to it.
Concept for investigating mechanical and thermal impacts on distributed subsurface gas monitoring
(2016)
A multifunctional sensor in line shape was developed and introduced in previous work for measuring of gas concentrations, temperature change, and strain. A current field study focuses on a spatially distributed monitoring of subsurface CO 2 gas storage sites in near real time.
Mechanical impacts, e.g., caused by construction work, denudation, and seismic activity, can affect the integrity of underground gas storage sites. Thermal or moisture impacts, e.g., caused by weather conditions, can influence the gas Distribution behavior. In this paper, we briefly describe the setup of a CO 2 injection soil test field. This setup contains actuating elements for the investigation of mechanical and thermal impacts on distributed subsurface gas monitoring. A concept is given for evaluating these impacts and first experimental results are presented.
Strain and acceleration measurement during high dynamic drop tests, e.g., of containments for dangerous goods is performed using high speed multichannel measuring systems. So far established and operated systems need a cable connection of every strain gauge and acceleration sensor with the measuring device, often counting up to a number of more than 100 cables, corresponding to the number of applied sensors. The result is a massive cable harness consisting of all single cables, which is difficult to handle and causes a number of practical problems. An innovative approach is proposed by using a single cable measuring system, consisting of measuring modules with data bus connection and local data acquisition. Promising results were presented in a previous study. This paper follows up with additional results from full-scale testing of a further enhanced single cable system for the application in drop tests.
A multifunctional sensor in line shape was developed and introduced in previous work for measuring of gas concentrations, temperature change, and strain. A current field study focuses on a spatially distributed monitoring of subsurface CO2 gas storage sites in near real time.
Mechanical impacts, e.g., caused by construction work, denudation, and seismic activity, can affect the integrity of underground gas storage sites. Thermal or moisture impacts, e.g., caused by weather conditions, can influence the gas distribution behavior. In this paper, we briefly describe the setup of a CO2 injection soil test field. This setup contains actuating elements for the investigation of mechanical and thermal impacts on distributed subsurface gas monitoring. A concept is given for evaluating these impacts and first experimental results are presented.
Gas sensors in linear form based on the measuring principle of gas selective permeability through a membrane were developed and introduced for the detection and quantification of gas concentrations. A current field study focuses on measuring CO2 concentrations for a spatially distributed monitoring of subsurface CO2 gas storage sites in near real time. A 400 m(2) test site and a corresponding laboratory system were built up to characterize, validate, and optimize the sensor. A calibration routine was developed, which can be applied subsequently to underground installation. First measurement results indicate the potential of the method.
To quantify the moisture in concrete, RFID based humidity sensors are embedded. Passive high frequency, ultra-high frequency RFID tags as well as active Bluetooth sensors are tested. After concreting, all sensors measure the corresponding relative humidity to monitor the concrete moisture. Two case studies are performed, embedding in an existing construction, i.e. the duraBASt test bridge, and embedding in cement based mortar in the laboratory. As basis for robust and long-life sensors in alkaline concrete, different casing materials are tested. Furthermore, signal strength measurements and their sensitivity to different moisture levels are performed.
Long-term completely embedded sensor systems offer innovative possibilities for structural health monitoring of concrete structures. Measuring of relevant parameters, e.g., temperature, humidity, or indication of corrosion can be performed with low energy sensors. This allows to implement passive RFID sensor systems without cable connection and battery, which are power supplied exclusively by the electromagnetic field from the external reader device. To evaluate characteristics and conditions of this concept, a systematical investigation of the transmission characteristics with variation of relevant parameters, as communication frequency, installation depth, type of concrete, moisture content, etc. is currently carried out in an interdisciplinary research project at BAM. First results are presented in this paper.
Long-term completely embedded sensor systems offer innovative possibilities for structural health Monitoring of concrete structures. Measuring of relevant parameters, e.g., temperature, humidity, or indication of corrosion can be performed with low energy sensors.
This allows to implement passive RFID sensor systems without cable connection and battery, which are power supplied exclusively by the electromagnetic field from the external Reader device. To evaluate characteristics and conditions of this concept, a systematical Investigation of the transmission characteristics with variation of relevant parameters, as communication frequency, installation depth, type of concrete, moisture content, etc. is currently carried out in an interdisciplinary research project at BAM. First results are presented in this paper.
Fiber optic sensors have gained increasing importance in recent years and are well established in many areas of industrial applications. In this paper, we introduce a concept of a self-diagnostic fiber optic sensor. The presented sensor is to resolve the problems of embedded fiber optic sensors in complex structures and to enable the validation under operational conditions. For this purpose, different magnetostrictive coated fiber optic sensors were developed and various experiments were performed to verify their mode of Operation and to determine the respective reproducibility. The measuring principle is illustrated by obtained experimental results, which showed a change in wavelength from 1 pm at a magnetic field strength change of 0.25 mT.
In addition, the temperature characteristics of the implemented magnetostrictive sensor were analyzed and an experimental factor of 1.5 compared to a reference fiber optic sensor was determined.
This work presents first results from repeti-tive CO2 injection experiments performed on a recently built-up 400 m² soil test field with gas injection system. The test field contains 48 membrane-based linear gas sensors that were installed in several depths of the test field. Sensors for measuring meteorological parameters (e.g., wind / rain) and the parameters soil temperature, soil moisture, and groundwater level were installed additionally. A more de-tailed description of the test field setup can be found in. A short description of the mem-brane-based linear gas sensors’ functional prin-ciple can be found in.
This work presents first results from repetitive CO2 injection experiments performed on a recently built-up 400 m² soil test field with gas injection system. The test field contains 48 membrane-based linear gas sensors that were installed in several depths of the test field. Sensors for measuring meteorological parameters (e.g., wind / rain) and the parameters soil temperature, soil moisture, and groundwater level were installed additionally.
This paper describes the development of a semi-automatic gas measurement device presenting potentially a broad range of applications, noteworthy in the agricultural sector. Non-reversible fluorescent molecular sensors were designed and syn-thesized. Upon, integration into a hydrogel matrix with an optimal ratio of co-solvents, the sensors reacting selectively to ammonia were illuminated by excitation light to produce a concentration-correlated fluorescence emission. An automated mechanical-elec-trical device initiates a given gas mixture and thus simulates con-centrations similar to a threshold value. The aim of this project is to develop a sensor or a low-cost method which can monitor low concentrations of harmful gases and aid in their elimination or regulation in livestock housing, barns or stables.
Remote gas sensors mounted on mobile robots enable the mapping of gas distributions in large or hardly accessible areas. A challenging task, however, is the generation of threedimensional distribution maps from these gas measurements.
Suitable reconstruction algorithms can be adapted, for instance, from the field of computed tomography (CT), but both their performance and strategies for selecting optimal measuring poses must be evaluated. For this purpose simulations are used, since, in contrast to field tests, they allow repeatable conditions. Although several simulation tools exist, they lack realistic models of remote gas sensors. Recently, we introduced a model for a Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) gas sensor taking into account the conical shape of its laser beam. However, the novel model has not yet been validated with experiments. In this paper, we compare our model with a real sensor device and show that the assumptions made hold.
Remote gas sensors mounted on mobile robots enable the mapping of gas distributions in large or hardly accessible areas. A challenging task, however, is the generation of threedimensional distribution maps from these gas measurements.
Suitable reconstruction algorithms can be adapted, for instance, from the field of computed tomography (CT), but both their performance and strategies for selecting optimal measuring poses must be evaluated. For this purpose simulations are used, since, in contrast to field tests, they allow repeatable conditions. Although several simulation tools exist, they lack realistic models of remote gas sensors. Recently, we introduced a model for a Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) gas sensor taking into account the conical shape of its laser beam. However, the novel model has not yet been validated with experiments. In this paper, we compare our model with a real sensor device and show that the assumptions made hold.
In this paper, we introduce a nano aerial robot swarm for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) monitoring applications such as occupational health and safety of (industrial) workplaces. The robotic swarm is composed of nano Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), based on the Crazyflie 2.0 quadrocopter, and small lightweight Metal Oxide (MOX) gas sensors for measuring the Total Volatile Organic Compound (TVOC), which is a measure for IAQ. An indoor localization and positioning system is used to estimate the absolute 3D position of the swarm similar to GPS. A test scenario was built up to validate and optimize the swarm for the intended applications. Besides calibration of the IAQ sensors, we performed experiments to investigate the influence of the rotor downwash on the gas measurements at different altitudes and compared them with stationary measurements. Moreover, we did a first evaluation of the gas distribution mapping performance. Based on this novel IAQ monitoring concept, new algorithms in the field of Mobile Robot Olfaction (MRO) are planned to be developed exploiting the abilities of an aerial robotic swarm.
Increasing traffic volume on the one hand and ageing infrastructure on the other hand have created many new challenges for maintenance and structural health monitoring of roads and bridges. In the past, many bridges and road structures have been neglected, often resulting in traffic congestion, road closure, and increased repair costs.
This research is concerned with the development of a system to improve the challenge of maintenance and early detection of damage, particularly moisture penetration and corrosion of steel reinforced concrete components. The objective is to develop a method that will also work after 30 years and longer. Many new IoT solutions are equipped with internal energy storage elements (accumulators or batteries) which are inappropriate here, since most relevant signs of concrete degradation occur after decades, where the functioning of such elements are more than questionable. The presented technology approach uses radio-frequency identification (RFID) and enables connectivity to sensors. It offers the advantage of an passive, completely independent energy supply without any energy storage components.
Since the system should be permanently embedded in concrete, it is crucial to develop a long-term stable device which is adapted to the environmental influences of the structure, e.g., long-term resistance in very alkaline environment of pH 13. In numerous experiments, the robustness of the system was tested and evaluated. Various tests with encapsulations to protect the electronics were performed, and for long-term validation different concrete specimens were instrumented with RFID-sensor-systems. Their operating time is now around two years and investigations for signs of fatigue and damage to the encapsulation and the electronics are ongoing.
In this paper, we present and validate the concept of an autonomous aerial robot to reconstruct tomographic 2D slices of gas plumes in outdoor environments. Our platform, the so-called Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Remote Gas Sensing (UAV-REGAS), combines a lightweight Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) gas sensor with a 3-axis aerial stabilization gimbal for aiming at a versatile octocopter. While the TDLAS sensor provides integral gas concentration measurements, it does not measure the distance traveled by the laser diode’s beam nor the distribution of gas along the optical path. Thus, we complement the set-up with a laser rangefinder and apply principles of Computed Tomography (CT) to create a model of the spatial gas distribution from a set of integral concentration measurements. To allow for a fundamental ground truth evaluation of the applied gas tomography algorithm, we set up a unique outdoor test environment based on two 3D ultrasonic anemometers and a distributed array of 10 infrared gas transmitters. We present results showing its performance characteristics and 2D plume reconstruction capabilities under realistic conditions. The proposed system can be deployed in scenarios that cannot be addressed by currently available robots and thus constitutes a significant step forward for the field of Mobile Robot Olfaction (MRO).
Leaking methane (CH4) from infrastructures, such as pipelines and landfills, is critical for the environment but can also pose a safety risk. To enable a fast detection and localization of these kind of leaks, we developed a novel robotic platform for aerial remote gas sensing. Spectroscopic measurement methods for remote sensing of selected gases lend themselves for use on mini-copters, which offer a number of advantages for inspection and surveillance over traditional methods. No direct contact with the target gas is needed and thus the influence of the aerial platform on the measured gas plume can be kept to a minimum. This allows to overcome one of the major issues with gas-sensitive mini-copters. On the other hand, remote gas sensors, most prominently Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) sensors have been too bulky given the payload and energy restrictions of mini-copters. Here, we present the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Remote Gas Sensing (UAV-REGAS), which combines a novel lightweight TDLAS sensor with a 3-axis aerial stabilization gimbal for aiming on a versatile hexacopter. The proposed system can be deployed in scenarios that cannot be addressed by currently available robots and thus constitutes a significant step forward for the field of Mobile Robot Olfaction (MRO). It enables tomographic reconstruction of gas plumes and a localization of gas sources. We also present first results showing its performance under realistic conditions.
Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is an important part of buildings surveillance and maintenance to detect material failure as early as possible and to contribute in protection of structures and their users.
The implementation of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) sensor systems without cable connection and battery into building components offers innovative possibilities to enable long-term in-situ SHM of addressed structures, bridges. The objectives of the presented study are complete embedding of RFID sensors systems in concrete, full passive communication with the systems, at best for the whole life span of structures. One challenge for this task is the highly alkaline environment in concrete, which requires non-degrading and robust encapsulation. Further Requirements are passive communication and energy supply, appropriate antenna design, placement and fixation in concrete, and the selection and implementation of sensors and connections. The concept is to develop and optimize a simple and robust system, which meets the requirements, as well as comprehensive validation in concrete specimen and real world applications. Two different systems were developed (HF and UHF RFID, respectively).
First tasks were the implementation of analog sensors using the superposition principle for the signal adaption. Investigation of suitable materials for robust encapsulation and sensor protection against basic environments.
Four materials were investigated in pH 13 solution for 14 days
- 3D-Printer-Polymer was completely resolved
- PVC has no noticeable decrease in weight
- (VitaPro) glass filter for the sensor protector, has weight loss 2.7 %
- The epoxy resin has increased by 1.8 % due to moisture expansion
Different concrete samples were prepared for the validation of the systems.
RFID sensors were embedded in different integration depths. Investigate the energy- and data transfer through concrete, also with varying moisture content. Additionally, signal strength data was used to optimize and validate the antenna characteristics in concrete. Next steps are to guarantee a sufficient energy supply for UHF RFID systems embedded in different concrete mixtures and further embedding the HF and UHF RFID systems in real bridges and buildings to validate the long term monitoring.
Der Fokus des Arbeitsfelds ist die messtechnisch fundierte Anwendung der 3D-Verfahrenskombination zur Lösung vielfältiger Messaufgaben mit optimaler Datenqualität für interne und externe Kunden.
Das setzt insbesondere eine jeweils problembezogene Messmethodik voraus. Dazu setzen wir kameragestützte 3D-Koordinatenmessverfahren ein, die auf dem fotogrammetrischen Prinzip der Bildtriangulation beruhen. Darunter fallen folgende miteinander flexibel kombinierbare Verfahrensmodifikationen: Mehrbildfotogrammetrie, Messadapter für Geometriemerkmale, Streifenprojektionsverfahren, statische bis hochdynamische Stereofotogrammetrie auf Punktebasis oder aufgabenangepasster Oberflächenmuster und mechanisch-optische Taster.
This presentation gives an introduction to the gas-sensitive aerial robots developed at BAM, including various application examples in the field of mobile robot olfaction: gas source localization and gas distribution mapping.
Using a swarm of copter-based gas-sensitive aerial nano robots for monitoring indoor air quality is challenging due to, e.g., limited air space in buildings. To avoid an over-regulation of the available indoor air space (e.g., prohibit copters to fly above each other), a safety region around each copter must be defined to guarantee a safe operation of the swarm.
The key contributions of this paper are the realization of experiments that investigate the influence of the rotor downwash on flying vertically displaced nano robots and the development of a model describing the above-mentioned safety region.
This paper presents first advances in the area of aerial chemical trail following. For that purpose, we equipped a palm-size aerial robot, based on the Crazyflie 2.0 quadrocopter, with a small lightweight metal oxide gas sensor for measuring evaporated ethanol from chemical trails. To detect and localize the chemical trail, a novel detection criterion was developed that uses only relative changes in the transient phase of the sensor response, making it more robust in its application. We tested our setup in first crossing-trail experiments showing that our flying ant robot is able to correlate an odor hit with the chemical trail within 0.14 m. Principally, this could enable aerial chemical trail following in the future.
The presence of wastewater and air pollution has become an important risk factor for citizens, not only in terms of problems related to health risks, but also because of its negative impact on the country's image. For this reason, malodorous emission monitoring and control techniques are in high demand in urban areas and industries. The aim of this work is first to build an electronic nose (e-nose) and a Voltammetric Electronic tongue (VE-tongue) in order to study their ability to discriminate between polluted and clean environmental samples. Secondly, Thermal Desorption-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (TD-GC-MS), and Solid Phase Micro Extraction-Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) are utilized to explain this discrimination by identifying specific compounds from these samples. Indeed, the e-nose, consisted of metal oxide semiconductor gas sensors, is used for the assessment of the studied odorous air and headspace samples from water and wastewater sites. Moreover, the VE-tongue, based on metal electrodes, is utilized to determine the patterns of the sensor array responses, which serve as fingerprints profiles of the analyzed liquid samples. Chemometric tools, such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), and Support Vector Machines (SVMs) are operated for the processing of data from the e-nose and the VE-tongue. By using the both systems, the analyses of headspace and liquid samples from the seven sites allow better discrimination. To explain the cause of the obtained discrimination, TD-GC-MS and SPME-GC-MS analyses are well performed to identify compounds related sites. According to these outcomes, the proposed e-nose and VE-tongue are proved to be rapid and valuable tools for analysis of environmental polluted matrices.
IMS trägt zur Luftfrachtsicherheit bei
Geltende Luftsicherheitsgesetze verpflichten Luftsicherheitsbehörden, Flughafenbetreiber und Fluggesellschaften umfassende Sicherheitsmaßnahmen auf den Flughäfen zu ergreifen, um die Gefahr möglicher terroristischer Bedrohungen zu erkennen und zu verhindern. Wenn ein verdächtiges Objekt durch Röntgenstrahlen identifiziert wurde, kann die IMS als schnelles Analyseverfahren vor Ort orthogonal zur Radiologie eingesetzt werden, um chemische Informationen über Gefahrstoffe wie Sprengstoffe oder Drogen vor dem Abflug zu erhalten.
Vor der Detektion von Sprengstoffen beginnt die Untersuchung eines verdächtigen Objekts mit der Probenahme mittels Wischprobensammlern. Eine Luftsicherheitskontrollkraft wischt dabei Oberflächen des Objekts mit einem Probensammler ab, um Partikel von Gefahrstoffen zu sammeln. Der beladene Probensammler wird anschließend in einen Probeneinlass eingeführt. Nach thermischer Desorption der gesammelten Stoffe erhält der Bediener (z. B. Luftsicherheitskontrollkraft) ein boolesches Ergebnis - "Alarm" oder "Kein Alarm".
Verfahren und Ergebnisse
In dieser Studie wurden drei Verfahren mit vier ECAC-zertifizierten ETD-Geräten zur Entwicklung eines Unsicherheitskonzeptes bezüglich der Probenahme (PN) angewandt:
I) direkte Probenaufnahme durch lösemittelbasierten Auftrag einer bekannten Sprengstoffmenge auf einem Probensammler,
II) Auftragung einer bekannten Menge eines gelösten Sprengstoffs auf einem 10 cm × 10 cm Substrat (Aluminium, Papier, Eisen und Polyvinylchlorid) und manuelle PN nach Lösemittelverdampfung,
III) lösemittelbasierter Sprengstoffauftrag auf eine PTFE- oder PTFE-beschichtete Glasfaseroberfläche, nach Lösemittelverdunstung trockene Übertragung auf das zu beprobende Substrat zur PN.
Nach dem binären Regressionsverfahren wurde die funktionale Abhängigkeit der Detektionswahrscheinlichkeit von einer bekannten Sprengstoffmasse mit einer Logit-Funktion beschrieben:
POD=1/(1+e^(-A·(m-B))).
Dabei ist POD die Wahrscheinlichkeit der Detektion für eine bekannte Sprengstoff-Masse, die Parameter A (logistische Wachstumsrate der Kurve) und B (m-Wert des Mittelpunktes des Sigmoids) sind geschätzte Parameter nach der Methode der kleinsten Quadrate, und m ist die Sprengstoffmasse.
Das entwickelte Messunsicherheitsmodell kombiniert quantitative Ergebnisse aus Wägen, Lösen und Pipettieren sowie qualitative Ergebnisse - "Alarm" oder "Kein Alarm" und die Unsicherheit der PN. Identifizierte Unsicherheitsursachen sind die Durchführung der Wischprobenahme, Staub, Lösemitteleffekte und die Unsicherheit bei der Herstellung von Testlösungen.
Over decades, the German Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) has established a sophisticated calibration laboratory for force, temperature and electrical quantities. Since more than 15 years it is accredited, currently by the national accreditation body (DAkkS), and offers its service also to external entities on a global scale. As a public provider, we are furthermore committed to research and development activities that demand measurements with highest quality and low level of uncertainties. Two R&D examples are highlighted within this contribution.
This paper presents first advances in the area of aerial chemical trail following. For that purpose, we equipped a palm-size aerial robot, based on the Crazyflie 2.0 quadrocopter, with a small lightweight metal oxide gas sensor for measuring evaporated ethanol from chemical trails. To detect and localize a 5 cm wide chemical trail, a detection criterion was developed that uses only relative changes in the transient phase of the sensor response. The reduction in signal strength dependence improves the robustness of its application. We tested our setup in first crossing-trail experiments showing that our flying ant robot can correlate an odor hit with the chemical trail within 0.14 m. Principally, this could enable aerial chemical trail following in the future.
In this study, the ability of an electronic nose developed to analyze and monitor odor emissions from three poultry farms located in Meknes (Morocco) and Berlin (Germany) was evaluated. Indeed, the potentiality of the electronic nose (e-nose) to differentiate the concentration fractions of hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and ethanol was investigated. Furthermore, the impact change of relative humidity values (from 15% to 67%) on the responses of the gas sensors was reported and revealed that the effect remained less than 0.6%. Furthermore, the relevant results confirmed that the developed e-nose system was able to perfectly classify and monitor the odorous air of poultry farms.
In this work, we demonstrate the ability of an electronic nose system based on an array of six-semiconductor gas sensors for outdoor air quality monitoring over a day at a traffic road in downtown of Meknes city (Morocco). The response of the sensor array reaches its maximum in the evening of the investigated day which may due to high vehicular traffic or/and human habits resulting in elevated concentrations of pollutants. Dataset treatment by Principal Component Analysis and Discriminant Function Analysis shows a good discrimination between samples collected at different times of the day. Moreover, Support Vector Machines were used and reached a classification success rate of 97.5 %. Thermal Desorption-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) technique was used to validate the developed e-nose system by identifying the composition of the analyzed air samples. The discrimination obtained by e-nose system was in good agreement with the TD-GC-MS results. This study demonstrates the usefulness of TD-GC-MS and e-nose, providing high accuracy in discriminating outdoor air samples collected at different times. This demonstrates the potential of using the e-nose as a rapid, easy to use and inexpensive environmental monitoring system.
Der Mangel an Anwendungsrichtlinien und Validierungsverfahren für struktur-eingebettete faseroptische Dehnungssensoren, insbesondere auf Faser-Bragg-Gitter (FBG)-Basis, führte bislang dazu, dass diese Sensoren trotz ihrer hervorragenden Eigenschaften im Bereich der kommerziellen Material- und Strukturüberwachung nur in geringem Umfange eingesetzt wurden. Fragen zur Degradation der Sensoren unter Beanspruchung, Alterung durch klimatische Einflüsse und Enthaftung infolge Belastung der Struktur konnten bisher nur theoretisch simuliert oder anhand exemplarischer Proben für einzelne einflussnehmende Parameter im Labor untersucht werden. Die Erfassung des Sensorverhaltens im Bauteil unter komplexen Umwelteinflüssen während des Bauteilbetriebes, um damit eine Aussage zur Zuverlässigkeit der Sensormessdaten zu gewinnen, war bisher nicht möglich.
Im Forschungsprojekt FAMOS² wurde deshalb von 2014 bis 2018 die Realisierung eines Autodiagnoseverfahrens für faseroptische Dehnungssensoren erarbeitet, um die Funktionszuverlässigkeit und Langzeitstabilität der Sensoren während des Bauteilbetriebes innerhalb einer Bauteilstruktur bewerten zu können. Im Rahmen des Forschungsprojektes wurde gezeigt, dass ein FBG-Sensor mit einer speziell angepassten magnetostriktiven Schicht magnetisch so angeregt werden kann, dass mit einer zugeschnittenen Messmethodik zu jedem Zeitpunkt eine Bewertung der Sensorzuverlässigkeit unter Betriebsbedingungen möglich ist. Die auf den Sensor aufgebrachte magnetostriktive Schicht erzeugt bei Anregung mit einem passenden Magnetfeld eine gepulste, synthetische Dehnung. Diese Dehnung steht in einem definierten Verhältnis zum anregenden Magnetfeld und wird optisch über die Verschiebung der Bragg-Wellenlänge ausgelesen. Die Konstanz dieses Verhältnisses stellt dann ein Maß für die korrekte Funktionsfähigkeit des Sensors dar. Das Beschichtungs-verfahren, das magnetische Anregungs- und optische Ausleseverfahren, wie auch die Validierung des Sensors unter Berücksichtigung faseroptischer Effekte wurden während des Projekts konzeptionell entwickelt, aufgebaut und charakterisiert. Qualitativ kann mit diesem Verfahren zunächst eine Gut-/Schlecht-Beurteilung des Sensors vorgenommen werden. Perspektivisch bietet das Verfahren jedoch auch die Möglichkeit, verschiedene Versagensmechanismen bestimmen und klassifizieren zu können. Es zeichnete sich schon während des Projektverlaufs ab, dass sich aus den erzielten Ergebnissen über das Autodiagnoseverfahren hinaus weitere Anwendungsmöglichkeiten für den Einsatz des kombinierten magnetostriktiv-faseroptischen Sensorprinzips, beispielsweise als reiner Magnetfeldsensor, ergeben.
Nach Abschluss dieses Forschungsprojekts besteht nun die Möglichkeit, den Funktionszustand faseroptischer Dehnungssensoren jederzeit unabhängig von Alter, Belastung oder Kenntnis eines Referenzzustands zu einem bestimmten Zeitpunkt bestimmen zu können. Aufbauend auf diesen Ergebnissen können weiterführende Forschungen die Messmethodik vertiefend charakterisieren und weitere Anwendungsfälle erschließen.
Increasing traffic volume on the one hand and ageing infrastructure on the other hand have created many new challenges for maintenance and structural health monitoring of roads and bridges. In the past, many bridges and road structures have been neglected, often resulting in traffic congestion, road closure, and increased repair costs.
This research is concerned with the development of a system to improve the challenge of maintenance and early detection of damage, particularly moisture penetration and corrosion of steel reinforced concrete components. The objective is to develop a method that will also work after 30 years and longer. Many new IoT solutions are equipped with internal energy storage elements (accumulators or batteries) which are inappropriate here, since most relevant signs of concrete degradation occur after decades, where the functioning of such elements are more than questionable. The presented technology approach uses radio-frequency identification (RFID) and enables connectivity to sensors. It offers the advantage of an passive, completely independent energy supply without any energy storage components.
Since the system should be permanently embedded in concrete, it is crucial to develop a long-term stable device which is adapted to the environmental influences of the structure, e.g., long-term resistance in very alkaline environment of pH 13. In numerous experiments, the robustness of the system was tested and evaluated. Various tests with encapsulations to protect the electronics were performed, and for long-term validation different concrete specimens were instrumented with RFID-sensor-systems. Their operating time is now around two years and investigations for signs of fatigue and damage to the encapsulation and the electronics are ongoing.
The present paper describes the development of a sensor material that changes its fluorescence in the presence of gaseous ammonia in a relevant concentration range. The implementation into a semi-automatic gas measurement device enables low-cost, precise, simple and fast monitoring of low con-centrations of harmful gases, like ammonia, and hence can help to improve the climate monitoring in livestock housing, barns or stables.
Design and Implementation of Smart Multisensor Monitoring System for Safe Workplaces with LoRaWAN
(2020)
This project addresses the application of safe workplaces in offices and chemical laboratories where indoor air quality plays an important role. The LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) is used as a communication interface to make important sensor data globally accessible. The goal of the development is to create a sensor node and an online and offline solution that collects the data from the sensor nodes and stores it on a local server or in a cloud. In cooperation with the companies WISTA GmbH and IONOS, a test sensor network is going to be established in the Berlin-Adlershof area.
One challenge associated with navigating a nano aerial robot swarm indoors in unstructured environments is, i.a., the limited air space. To avoid an over-regulation of the available indoor air space (e.g., prohibit copters to fly above each other), a safety region around each copter must be defined. In this paper, we investigate the impact of the downwash of a nano-drone on the stability of another nearby nano-drone. In the experiments, we found out that this downwash has a negative influence of a second nano-drone in a distance of around 1 m vertically and 0.2 m horizontally. Based on the obtained data, we developed a model describing the above-mentioned safety region to enable a safe operation of the swarm in these environments with fewer constraints.
In this communication a novel concept for pH sensing is introduced which is specifically adapted to monitor carbonation induced corrosion in concrete structures. The method is based on a ratiometric measurement principle, exploiting the pH sensitive colour switching of thymol blue in the basic pH regime and the emissive properties of two different (Zn)CdSe/ZnS core shell quantum dots. The transition point of thymol blue in a Hydrogel D4 matrix was determined to be at around pH 11.6, which fits ideally to the intended application. Next to the fundamental spectroscopic characterization of the ratiometric response, a new design for a sensor head, suitable for the incorporation into concrete matrices is presented. Toward this, a manufacturing process was developed which includes the preparation of a double layer of polymers containing either thymol blue or a quantum dot mixture inside a porous ceramic tube. Results of a proof-of-priciple performance test of the sensor head in solutions of different pH and in cement specimens are presented, with encouraging results paving the way for future field tests in concrete.
In civil engineering, many structures are made of reinforced concrete. Most Degradation processes relevant to this material, e.g., corrosion, are related to an increased level of material moisture.
Therefore, moisture monitoring in reinforced concrete is regarded as a crucial method for structural health monitoring. In this study, passive radio frequency identification (RFID)-based sensors are embedded into the concrete. They are well suited for long-term operation over decades and are well protected against harsh environmental conditions. The energy supply and the data transfer of the humidity sensors are provided by RFID. The sensor casing materials are optimised to withstand the high alkaline environment in concrete, having pH values of more than 12. Membrane materials are also investigated to identify materials capable of enabling water vapour transport from the porous cement matrix to the embedded humidity sensor. By measuring the corresponding relative humidity with embedded passive RFID-based sensors, the cement hydration is monitored for 170 days.
Moreover, long-term moisture monitoring is performed for more than 1000 days. The Experiments show that embedded passive RFID-based sensors are highly suitable for long-term structural health monitoring in civil engineering.
The applicability of three methods developed by finite element analysis (FEM) and proposed in the literature are studied on steel S355. Instrumented indentation tests using spherical indenters of radius 200 and 500 μ m are performed in the macro range at depths of more than 6 μ m. The results of the selected methods are compared with the tensile test. To evaluate the partially strongly varying results, the uncertainties of the calculated strain hardening exponent, n, and yield stress, Y, are estimated. Recommendations for an appropriated procedure of the indentation test are given. The machine compliance and the determination of the zero point of Depth play an essential role. If the certain conditions are considered, the instrumented indentation Tests can be used, in particular for investigations of specimens with inhomogeneous elastoplasticity.
Poor air quality, particularly in urban areas, causes various diseases and degrades living standards. Air Quality could be affected by emissions of odor, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and other gases. Therefore, assessment and monitoring of odorous air quality using sensitive, simple, rapid, accurate and portable tools is very important for public health. This study aimed to characterize odor emissions to detect malfunctions in facilities and to prevent air pollution and olfactory nuisance in the environment. A gas chromatographic method, in conjunction with sensorial analysis were performed for odorous air samples analysis collected from neighborhood of Meknes city (Morocco). Advanced multivariate statistical approaches, such as Principal Components Analysis (PCA), Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA), Support Vector Machines (SVMs), and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), were used to describe samples similarities. The electronic nose (e-nose) data processing exhibits a satisfactory discrimination between the odorous air samples. Twenty-four VOCs with known molecular formulas were identified with Thermal Desorption-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (TD-GC-MS). A validated Partial Least Square (PLS) model foresees good calibration between e-nose measurement and TD-GCMS analysis. The finding indicates that TD-GC–MS approach in conjunction with e-nose unit could be suitable tool for environmental measurement-based odor emissions.
This project addresses the application of safe and healthy workplaces in offices, chemical laboratories and other workplaces where indoor air quality plays an important role. The LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) is used as a communication interface to make sensor data globally accessible.
The objectives of the project are to create a sensor node and an online and offline system that collects the data from the sensor nodes and stores it on a local server, in a cloud, and also locally on the node to prevent communication failures. An important point in this project is the development of the sensor nodes and the placement of these in the premises, thus no development work is involved in Building the infrastructure.
IMS trägt zur Luftfrachtsicherheit bei Luftsicherheitsgesetze verpflichten Luftsicherheitsbehörden, Flughafenbetreiber und Fluggesellschaften umfassende Sicherheitsmaßnahmen auf den Flughäfen zu ergreifen, um Gefahren z. B. durch potenziell gefährliche Frachtgüter zu erkennen. Von der Europäische Zivilluftfahrt-Konferenz (ECAC) zertifizierte IMS-Geräte werden vor Ort an den Kontrollpunkten orthogonal zur Radiologie eingesetzt, um chemische Informationen von verdächtiger Fracht über Gefahrstoffe wie Sprengstoffe oder Drogen vor dem Verladen zu erhalten.
Vor der Detektion von Sprengstoffen beginnt die Untersuchung eines verdächtigen Objekts mit der Probenahme mittels Wischprobensammlern. Eine Luftsicherheitskontrollkraft wischt dabei Oberflächen des Objekts mit einem Probensammler ab, um Partikel von Gefahrstoffen zu sammeln. Der beladene Probensammler wird anschließend in einen Probeneinlass eingeführt. Nach thermischer Desorption der gesammelten Stoffe erhält der Bediener (z. B. Luftsicherheitskontrollkraft) ein boolesches Ergebnis - "Alarm" oder "Kein Alarm".
Verfahren und Ergebnisse
In dieser Studie wurden drei Verfahren mit vier ECAC-zertifizierten ETD-Geräten zur Identifizierung und Beurteilung der Probenahme (PN) entwickelt:
I) direkte PN durch lösemittelbasierten Auftrag einer bekannten Sprengstoffmenge auf einem Probensammler,
II) Auftrag einer bekannten Menge eines gelösten Sprengstoffs auf einem 10 cm × 10 cm Substrat (Aluminium, Papier, Eisen und Polyvinylchlorid) und manuelle PN nach Lösemittelverdampfung,
III) lösemittelbasierter Sprengstoffauftrag auf eine PTFE- oder PTFE-beschichtete Glasfaseroberfläche, nach Lösemittelverdunstung trockene Übertragung auf das zu beprobende Substrat zur PN.
Der Zusammenhang zwischen vorgelegter Sprengstoffmenge und der Detektionswahrscheinlichkeit (POD) erfolgt durch Anwendung des binären Regressionsverfahrens mit einer Logit-Funktion:
POD=1/(1+exp(-A(m-B)) )·100%
Dabei entspricht m der vorgelegten Sprengstoffmasse bis 1000 ng, Parameter A / ng-1 der logistischen Wachstumsrate der Kurve und Parameter B / ng dem m-Wert des Mittelpunktes des Sigmoids. Die Bestimmung der Parameter wurde nach der Methode der kleinsten Quadrate berechnet.
Das entwickelte Messunsicherheitsmodell kombiniert quantitative Ergebnisse aus Stammlösung und deren Verdünnungen sowie Stoffauftrag und qualitative Ergebnisse nach Anzeige "Alarm" oder "Kein Alarm". Dieses Auswerteverfahren wurde auf die Probenahme angewandt. Identifizierte Unsicherheitsursachen sind die Durchführung der Wischprobenahme, Staub, Lösemitteleffekte und die Unsicherheit bei der Herstellung von Testlösungen.
In the present paper the development of a semi-automated device for long-term monitoring of gaseous ammonia is described. A sensor material was produced that changes its optical properties in the pres-ence of low concentrations of ammonia in air. The implementation into an electronic device enables precise, simple, economic and fast monitoring of low concentrations of harmful gases, like ammonia, and hence can help to improve the climate monitoring in livestock housing, barns or stables.
This paper presents first advances in the area of aerial chemical trail following. For that purpose, we equipped a palm-size aerial robot, based on the Crazyflie 2.0 quadrocopter, with a small lightweight metal oxide gas sensor for measuring evaporated ethanol from chemical trails. To detect and localize the chemical trail, a novel detection criterion was developed that uses only relative changes in the transient phase of the sensor response, making it more robust in its application. We tested our setup in first crossing-trail experiments showing that our flying ant robot is able to correlate an odor hit with the chemical trail within 0.14 m. Principally, this could enable aerial chemical trail following in the future.
Small unmanned aircraft (UA) are used increasingly as flying sensor platforms. Amongst other things they are used for environmental monitoring, for example gas distribution mapping. Sometimes, these applications require knowledge of the ambient wind field, which can be measured by additional devices like anemometers. In general, it would be interesting to avoid such additional apparatuses. One way to achieve this is to estimate the wind vector, that is both the wind direction and speed, from the state variables of the UA.
This study presents the characterization of a piezoresistive accelerometer damped with silicon oil for the application in drop tests carried out at BAM. Experiments were performed with the Hopkinson Bar method in close correlation to the real-world application conditions. The results point out certain limitations regarding the temperature influence and the frequency response. Additional experiments were performed with a gas damped type of piezoresistive accelerometer, which has superior specifications, particularly for low temperatures. The results allow for a comparison.
Temperature characteristics of a piezoresistive accelerometer for high impact shock application
(2018)
This study presents the characterization of a piezoresistive accelerometer damped with silicon oil for the application in drop tests carried out at BAM. Experiments were performed with the Hopkinson Bar method in close correlation to the real-world application conditions. The results point out certain limitations regarding the temperature influence and the frequency response. Additional experiments were performed with a gas damped type of piezoresistive accelerometer, which has superior specifications, particularly for low temperatures. The results allow for a comparison.
Temperature characteristics of a piezoresistive accelerometer for high impact shock application
(2018)
This study presents the characterization of a piezoresistive accelerometer damped with silicon oil for the application in drop tests carried out at BAM. Experiments were performed with the Hopkinson Bar method in close correlation to the real-world application conditions. The results point out certain limitations regarding the temperature influence and the frequency response. Additional experiments were performed with a gas damped type of piezoresistive accelerometer, which has superior specifications, particularly for low temperatures. The results allow for a comparison.
Wastewater contains harmful chemicals and heavy metals that are known to cause various environmental and health problems. Therefore, the water quality control using sensitive, simple, fast, accurate, and portable tools is of great importance. This study aimed to evaluate the pollution parameters of wastewaters collected at different treatment stages from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) that treats domestic and industrial wastewaters by using an electronic nose (E-nose) and a voltammetric electronic tongue (E-tongue) combined with chemometric techniques. Water and wastewater pollution parameters determination were performed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry for the determination of cations, and anions by using ion chromatography. Chemometric techniques, such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA), Support Vector Machines (SVMs), and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), were used to process the E-nose and E-tongue datasets to describe the similarities between the samples. In addition, Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) model was constructed using electronic sensing data to simultaneously predict the concentration values of physicochemical parameters. The obtained correlation coefficient, for training and testing sets, is higher than 0.91 for the prediction of the concentration of all physicochemical parameters, except for iron (Fe) which remains 0.84. These results suggest that simple, portable, and inexpensive tools such as electronic nose and tongue are suitable for wastewater analysis.
Die Optimierung und Validierung des digitalen Wasserstofftankstellenmanagements mit Sensortechnologien ist das übergeordnete Ziel des Teilprojekts Digitale Qualitätsinfrastruktur mit Sensortechnologien (QIST) am Use Case H2, im Rahmen der digitalen Qualitätsinfrastruktur (QI digital[1]). Hierfür sollen u.a. Sensornetzwerke mit digital-gestützten Auswertungsstrategien intelligent gestaltet werden (Stichwort KI bzw. digitaler Zwilling). Verschiedene, sich ergänzende Sensoren, Systemkomponenten und KI-Methoden stehen als Bausteine intelligenter Sensorsysteme zur Verfügung, mit dem Zweck, die physikalischen und chemischen Parameter an und in Anlagen umfassend und effizient zu überwachen sowie Fehlfunktionen zuverlässig zu detektieren und zu interpretieren, Abbildung 1.
Konkrete Arbeitsschritte sind, nach dem Aufbau der Versuchsplattform „Wasserstofftankstelle“, die Instrumentierung von Sensorik und deren digitale Integration in das Tankstellenmanagementsystem sowie die Validierung im Realbetrieb. Die somit erzielten Messergebisse sowie die Messunsicherheiten, Historien und Verfahren werden in digitaler Form aufbereitet, gespeichert und fortlaufend in die KI-basierte Datenauswertung einbezogen, inkl. der Anbindung an die metrologische Rückführungskette.
Ziele sind:
• Einführung eines neuen messtechnischen Ansatzes und eines digitalen Zwillings für den Anwendungsfall "Wasserstofftankstelle" auf Basis der H2-Sensorik sowie der Zustandsgrößen Druck und Temperatur
• Qualitätssicherung durch Applikationen zuverlässiger Gassensorik, Manometer und Thermometer sowie KI-Methoden zur Prozesskontrolle und Detektion von Fehlfunktionen
• Nutzung von digitalen Kalibrierscheinen (DCCs) insbesondere für die Messgröße Temperatur zur Realisierung der metrologischen Rückführung in einer digitalen Qualitätsinfrastruktur
In many cases, science falls back on self-developed prototype systems, which are used and developed for the measurement and execution of the tasks. About 80 % of the development is based on the same hardware design, which is used in only one application scenario and then discarded. For the most part, there are also uncalibrated sensors, since it is costly to calibrate a complicated sensor measurement system or the entire measurement chain since access to the sensor systems is not always available. This paper describes a conceptual design to implement a versatile sensor system with the motivation to fuse the data recording and data reception, which can cover large areas with the help of LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) technology. To overcome disadvantages of LoRaWAN, namely the slow data rates, the proposed sensor system can also cover smaller areas with the widespread WiFi technology. An enormous advantage over individual complete systems in the form of a prototype, is the rapid expansion, uncomplicated calibration of the individual sensors and the ecological relief.
A modular design is used, where individual stacks with sensors and peripherals can be added separately. The stacks are standalone low-power systems and can be calibrated, maintained, and replaced separately and do not require the entire measurement chain. The measured and sent values are stored locally on the main stack and sent to the data collector (gateway) and evaluated by means of the automated selection between WiFi and LoRaWAN.
This work focuses on the design and fabrication of low-cost and fast-response of an electronic nose (E-nose) based on semiconductor gas sensors, for discriminating some synthetic gases such as ammonia (NH3), ethanol (C2H5OH), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Additionally, the capability of separating different concentration levels of each considered gases was checked. Dataset treatment of E-nose by using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed a good discrimination of the different synthetic gases. Furthermore, perfect classification was reached of different concentration levels of the analysed gases by using Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA). In the light of these results, it could be stated that the developed E-nose system constitutes an inexpensive, rapid, simple to use, and efficient tool for synthetic gases detection.
Monitoring and maintenance of civil infrastructure are of great importance, as any undetected damage can cause high repair costs, unintended deadtime, or endanger structural integrity. The inspection of large concrete structures such as bridges and parking lots is particularly challenging and time-consuming. Traditional methods are mostly manual and involve mapping a grid of measurement lines to record the position of each measurement. Current semi-automated methods, on the other hand, use GPS or tachymeters for localization but still require trained personnel to operate. An entirely automated approach using mobile robots would be more cost- and time-efficient. While there have been developments in using GPS-enabled mobile robots for bridge inspection, the weak signal strength in indoor areas poses a challenge for the automated inspection of structures such as parking lots. This paper aims to develop a solution for the automated inspection of large indoor concrete structures by addressing the problem of robot localization in indoor spaces and the automated measurement of concrete cover and rebar detection.
Monitoring and maintenance of civil infrastructure are of great importance, as any undetected damage can cause high repair costs, unintended deadtime, or endanger structural integrity. The inspection of large concrete structures such as bridges and parking lots is particularly challenging and time-consuming. Traditional methods are mostly manual and involve mapping a grid of measurement lines to record the position of each measurement. Current semi-automated methods, on the other hand, use GPS or tachymeters for localization but still require trained personnel to operate. An entirely automated approach using mobile robots would be more cost- and time-efficient. While there have been developments in using GPS-enabled mobile robots for bridge inspection, the weak signal strength in indoor areas poses a challenge for the automated inspection of structures such as parking lots. This paper aims to develop a solution for the automated inspection of large indoor concrete structures by addressing the problem of robot localization in indoor spaces and the automated measurement of concrete cover and rebar detection.
Implementation and validation of robot-enabled embedded sensors for structural health monitoring
(2024)
In the past decades, structural health monitoring (SHM) has matured into a viable supplement to regular inspections, facilitating the execution of repair and maintenance work in the early stages of structural damage. With the advent of wireless technologies and advancements in information and communication technologies, civil infrastructure has been increasingly instrumented with wireless sensor nodes to record, analyze, and communicate data relevant to SHM. A promising method for SHM is to embed sensors directly into concrete for recording SHM data from inside structural elements. In this paper, a sensor system for embedment into concrete is proposed, able to assess SHM data recorded from concrete. Power is supplied to the sensors on-demand by quadruped robots, which also collect the SHM data via radio-frequency identification (RFID), providing an automated and efficient SHM process. In laboratory experiments, the capability of the sensor system of automatically collecting the SHM data using quadruped robots is validated. In summary, the integration of RFID technology and robot-based inspection presented in this study demonstrates a vital approach to evolve current SHM practices towards more digitalized and automated SHM.
With the reduction of large oil spills because of stricter regulations and safety measures, the question of how to manage smaller oil spills arises. Few on-site analytical tools are available for first responders or other law enforcement personnel to rapidly test for crude oil in the early management of localized polluted areas. The approach reported here relies on well-described computer-assisted multivariate data analysis of the intrinsic fluorescence fingerprints of crude oils to build a multivariate model for the rapid classification of crude oils and the prediction of their properties. Thanks to a dedicated robust portable reader, the method allowed classification and accurate prediction of various properties of crude oil samples like density (according to API, the American Petroleum Institute and viscosity as well as composition parameters such as volume fractions of paraffins or aromatics. In this way, autonomous operation in on-site or in-the-field applications becomes possible based on the direct (undiluted and untreated) measurement of samples and a rapid, tablet-operated readout system to yield a robust and simple analytical test with superior performance. Testing in real-life scenarios allowed the successful classification and prediction of a number of oil spill samples as well as weathered samples that closely resemble samples collected by first responders.
Contamination of natural bodies of water or soil with oils and lubricants (or generally, hydrocarbon derivatives such as petrol, fuels, and others) is a commonly found phenomenon around the world due to the extensive production, transfer, and use of fossil fuels. In this work, we develop a simple system for the on-field detection of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) in water and soil. The test is based on the measurement of the fluorescence signal emitted by the molecular rotor 2-[ethyl[4-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)ethenyl]phenyl]amino]ethanol (4-DNS-OH). This dye is embedded in a hydrophobic polymeric matrix (polyvinylidene fluoride), avoiding interactions with water and providing a robust support for use in a test strip fashion. Together with the strips, an embedded optical system was designed for fluorescence signal read-out, featuring a Bluetooth low-energy connection to a commercial tablet device for data processing and analysis. This system works for the detection and quantification of TPHs in water and soil through a simple extraction protocol using a cycloalkane solvent with a limit of detection of 6 ppm. Assays in surface and sea waters were conclusive, proving the feasibility of the method for in-the-field operation.
QI-Digital is a joined project aiming at digitalising Quality Infrastructure (QI) processes involving standardization, conformity assessment, accreditation, metrology, and market surveillance [1]. Federal institute of material research and testing (BAM) is working on the creation of a digital calibration certifi-cate (DCC) to achieve digital metrological traceability and conformity assessment. The utilisation of machine readable and executable DCCs in the XML format is demonstrated on an example of a tem-perature measurement at a hydrogen refueling station. The certificates will be retrieved and analysed automatically at a Process Control System or at a Digital Twin.