Structural Health Monitoring

Edited by the Buildingtalk editorial team Mar 29, 2004

Workshop: Advances In Design, Evaluation and Applications. The ability to monitor structural health is fast becoming an important aspect of intelligent buildings for existing and future civil structur

- Advances In Design, Evaluation And Applications Date : 31st March 2004.

Venue : Photonics Application Centre, Faraday Wharf, Aston Science Park.

The ability to monitor structural health is fast becoming an important aspect of intelligent buildings for existing and future civil structures.

The rapid collapse of the Twin Towers in 2001, the sudden appearance of cracks on structural columns in some buildings and the tremor experienced by residents due to earth quakes have alerted the authorities of the need to install on-line structural health monitoring systems for existing and future civil structures.

These monitoring systems act as a digital nervous system within the building to alert the authorities on the structural integrity of the building.

In addition, it can also provide information on the structural integrity of the existing buildings in the aftermath of an earthquake.

The technologies for the implementation of 'smart structures' have developed rapidly over recent years.

To achieve 'smartness', the structure must have some form of sensing instrumentation, which simulates nerves within the structure.

SHM sensors can measure attributes such as temperature, and pressure sensors, which when embedded inside the structure or mounted onto its surface at the critical points, will permit the parametric variables of the structure to be continuously monitored.

Who should attend? Anyone who is associated with building technologies, civil engineering and working with structures, materials, sensor technologies and their applications.

This workshop will expose the participants to the latest development in structural health monitoring using a variety of optical techniques including fibre optic strain sensors based on the fibre Bragg grating technology Applications Civil Infrastructures Aircraft and Missile Structures Space Structures Land and Marine Structures Smart Textiles.