The five-year project, which has grant funding from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, aims to create the 'ultimate infrastructure monitoring system' and install prototype advanced sensor technology on several test bridges in Michigan.
The goal of the research is to use four different types of surface and penetrating sensors to detect cracks, corrosion and other signs of weakness on bridge infrastructure and communicate the information from the sensors to bridge inspectors.
The project involves 14 researchers from the U-M College of Engineering and the University of Michigan Transport Research Institute. In addition, engineers at five private firms in New York, California and Michigan are team members.
The project will begin in February with a goal of providing the first demonstration on an MDOT bridge this year.
U-M has taken steps to protect the intellectual property relating to the project, and plans to find commercial partners to bring the technology to market.
The University of Texas (UT) of Austin and its partners also announced earlier this month that they have embarked on a five-year, US$6.8 million project to test the safety of bridges using wireless monitoring and inspection systems. Civil, electrical and mechanical engineers from UT, National Instruments and Wiss Janney Elstner Associateswill collaborate on the development of two wireless monitoring systems, one addressing the monitoring of structural cracks or defects and corrosion.
