Proceedings Article | 14 July 2004
KEYWORDS: Sensors, Homeland security, Structural monitoring, Environmental sensing, Sensing systems, Data processing, Chemical analysis, Corrosion, Environmental monitoring, Data communications
This paper addresses the development of a robust, low-cost, low power, and high performance autonomous
wireless monitoring system for civil assets such as large facilities, new construction, bridges, dams, commercial
buildings, etc. The role of the system is to identify the onset, development, location and severity of structural
vulnerability and damage. The proposed system represents an enabling infrastructure for addressing structural
vulnerabilities specifically associated with homeland security.
The system concept is based on dense networks of “intelligent” wireless sensing units. The fundamental
properties of a wireless sensing unit include: (a) interfaces to multiple sensors for measuring structural and
environmental data (such as acceleration, displacements, pressure, strain, material degradation, temperature, gas agents,
biological agents, humidity, corrosion, etc.); (b) processing of sensor data with embedded algorithms for assessing
damage and environmental conditions; (c) peer-to-peer wireless communications for information exchange among units(thus enabling joint “intelligent” processing coordination) and storage of data and processed information in servers for
information fusion; (d) ultra low power operation; (e) cost-effectiveness and compact size through the use of low-cost
small-size off-the-shelf components. An integral component of the overall system concept is a decision support
environment for interpretation and dissemination of information to various decision makers.
