Real-Time Monitoring System and Advanced Characterization Technique for Civil Infrastructure Health Monitoring

Abstract

Real-time monitoring of civil infrastructure provides valuable information to assess the health and condition of the associated systems. This paper presents the recently developed shape acceleration array (SAA) and local system identification (SI) technique, which constitute a major step toward long-term effective health monitoring and analysis of soil and soil-structure systems. The SAA is based on triaxial micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensors to measure in situ deformation (angles relative to gravity) and dynamic accelerations up to a depth of one hundred meters. This paper provides an assessment of this array's performance for geotechnical instrumentation applications by reviewing the recorded field data from a bridge replacement site and a full-scale levee test facility. The SI technique capitalizes on the abundance of static and dynamic measurements from the SAA. The geotechnical properties and constitutive response of soil contained within a locally instrumented zone are analyzed and identified independently of adjacent soil strata.

Recent advances in physical modeling and remote sensing of civil infrastructure systems

“…The final goal is to develop tools to respond to flood threats in a timely manner with appropriate measures. The SAA was the main system for the evaluation of deformation measurements in the uniquely large levee stability test [5].…”

“…Quoting from Bennett et al [5] ''The levee for the first production stability test was constructed with a height of 6 m (19.7 ft), a length of 100 m (328.1 ft) and a base width of 27 m (88.6 ft), with a crest width of 3 m (9.8 ft) and side slopes of 1:1.5 (V:H) on the dry side and 1:2.5 on the wet side. The levee was built parallel to a local canal levee and on top of 1.3-3 m (4.3-9.8 ft) of clay and peat.…”

“…Peck [14] states that these differences come from the fact that science relies on laboratory soil sample tests, while practice is rooted in field performance data and associated empirical studies. Consequently, most practitioners remain skeptical about numerical models developed by geotechnical engineering scientists, mainly because very few models have been properly calibrated with field performance [1][2][3]5].…”

“…The knowledge gained from this monitoring and analysis would aid in planning for maintenance and rehabilitation of infrastructure systems and could improve the design, construction, operation, and longevity. Critical soil-structure elements of the civil infrastructure which are important to monitor include bridge foundations, abutments, and support systems, retained, reinforced, or stabilized rock and earthen embankments and levees, slopes and mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls, and tunnels and tunnel linings [5].…”

“…Similar to traditional probe and in-place inclinometers, data from the SAA represents deviations from a starting condition or initial reading. These data are sent wirelessly, over a cellular telephone network, to an automated server, where data are made available to users through proprietary viewing software and an internet connection [5].…”