AdCept Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

Introduction to Advanced Structural Health Monitoring Systems
With the discovery and development of new materials and technologies in recent
decades, the field of engineering and construction has become one ambitious,demanding and full of challenges. The rise of these new technologies have allowed tothe engineers exceed those limits faced by the engineers of the past, allowing them tobuild higher buildings, longest bridges and essential structures with a high level ofcomplexity and environmental control. This high level of complexity and demand has
increased the requirement for advanced monitoring systems that provide to the owners
immediately information, accurate and reliable to help them save costs related tomaintenance, environmental safe and information to prevent failure or structuraldamage.

Why Monitoring••
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Validate design assumptions.
Measures and improve performance of its structures, industrial equipment andresources.
Assessing the behavior of the structure and possible time-dependentdeterioration.
Verifying integrity and structural strength.
Enhance safety program reducing risk of major accidents for unknown reason
providing an early warning identifying looming problems.
Reduce the risks of instability of excavation works.
Reduces maintenance cost and improve maintenance program.
Reveal unknown changes.
Inform stakeholders.
Enhance Quality Control and process programs.
Satisfy regulation requirements.
Optimization of more expensive construction materials.
Optimization of efficiency.
Anticipate the effects of the announced climatic change
Detection of random events such as cavities, breaches, leaks, settlements andSeismic zones.
Assess the ageing status and follow-up of contemporary and historic structures.
Promotes the development of new materials and techniques constructive.
Reduce litigation.

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Monitoring System Architecture

Figure 1 SHMS Monitoring System

Requirement of Monitoring of Highway Structures
Know bridge behavior and effects under construction loads, service and extreme loads.
Reduce operational and maintenance cost.
Common causes of deterioration and failure of bridges are:FO based SHMS,

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The use of smart structural health monitoring systems in the highway bridges will help tohave best & better understanding of the structure behavior, early detection andlocation of failures verification of integrity and structural strength, reduction in costs andinspection periods, improved maintenance programs, increase security and reliability.
Below some of the sensors used to monitor the bridges' behavior and performance:
TYPE
StrainSensors

FUNCTIONSAPPLICATIONSStrains and stresses steel girders, cables,
Gages Measurement of strains, deformations andgusset plates, reinforced concrete, piles,
stressespre- & post-tension elements

Temperature
Sensors

Measurement of absolute temperature onConcrete cure, structural elements andstructure's surface and relative temperature
weather station
for compensation of strain measurements

Displacement
Sensors

Measurement of displacement between two Construction joints, crack/fissure growthgauge points
and structural members

Accelerometers

Measurement of accelerations from DC to Piers, abutments, decks, towers andlow frequencies and modal analysis
cablesInclinometers

Piers, abutments, footings, wing walls,
Measurement of angular variation, differential
towers, approach embankments andsettlements and slope displacements
excavations

Piezometers

Measurement of drainage, leakage, water Pipes, excavations, embankments, rivers
level, water pressure and pore pressure
and banks

Pressure & Load
Measurement of loads and pressures
Cells

Foundation, embankment and structuralelements

AE
Acoustic
Detects crack growth, friction and corrosion
Emission

Steel elements and welds

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Figure 2 Monitoring Super Bridges Cables

Figure 3 Monitoring Tilts & Vibrations in Piers and Abutments

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Figure 4 Concrete Cure Monitoring

Fiber Optic Based SHMS
Sensing systems based on Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG) technology have numerous
advantages compared to conventional electrical sensors. The sensor itself acts as apassive component in the sensing network allowing the integration of the sensing
system and sensor even inside explosive environments where any electrical signal or
sparking is prohibited. Fiber optic sensors use light as the signal carrier, rather thanelectric current as in conventional sensors, which renders them immune to interference
from electrostatic, electromagnetic
and radio sources.
The sensor can also be exposed toextreme temperatures and operate inharsh environments. Data transfer via
fiber optics is already a standard in thetelecommunication industry due to its
wide broadband, low loss and theability to carry the signal over long
distances without needing an amplifier.
Sensing systems based on FBG technology use this reliable medium to carry dataacquired from both the sensors and the sensing element. The advantage of combining
fiber optic technology with FBG technology is that it provides long term stability to thesensor and removes the need to recalibrate over time. The sensing element in FBG
based sensors has very small dimensions and therefore our sensors can be customized
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and mounted on structures with minimal modification or effect on the structure’s
behavior. Fiber optics sensors not require a dedicated channel and cable for eachsensor in order to acquire data, allowing many tens of FBGs to be integrated in a single
optical fiber. This leads to very simple solution when monitoring large and complex
structures. Each grating can act as an independent sensing element, which greatly
simplifies large structure monitoring. This generates significant installation cost and timesavings. In addition all the fiber scans be connected to a single read-out unit (FBGinterrogator).
Our OEM partner, Micron Optics is an established leader of innovative opticalcomponents and laser-based equipment that advance the quality of opticalmeasurements, allowing the sensing, imaging and telecommunications industries tomake the critical measurements they need. The Micron Optics comprehensive productportfolio of tunable optical filters, swept lasers, optical sensors and sensing interrogatorsdelivers the highest degree of measurement precision, resolution, and accuracy
required for customers to yield superior, advanced solutions.

For more information, please contact:
AdCept Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
14 Mandeville Gardens, Kolkata 700019
Contact: 98363 95767; Fax: 033 4061 2433
Website: www.adceptsolutions.com
Email: info@adceptsolutions.com

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