First SENSKIN project newsletter

Read here about SENSKIN's progress from the first nine months and next steps planned

'SENsing SKIN' for Monitoring-Based Maintenance of the Transport Infrastructure

Welcome to SENSKIN!

SENSKIN is a 42-month Horizon 2020 project that launched its activities during the kick-off meeting on 2 nd -3 rd June 2015. Coordinated by the Greek Institute of Communication & Computer Systems (ICCS) and involving 14 European academic, research and industrial partners, SENSKIN is developing an inexpensive, low power, wireless, skin-like sensor that offers spatial sensing of irregular surfaces. Emerging Delay Tolerant Networks (DTN) technology will be also applied so that the output of the sensors is transmitted even under difficult conditions where some communication networks are inoperable. Additionally, SENSKIN as a monitoring system will be supported by a Decision-Support-System (DSS) for proactive condition-based structural intervention under operating loads and intervention after extreme events.

This first newsletter gives a general overview of the project work and expected impact, as well as information on the partners involved. For further information, contact the Project Coordinator Dr. Angelos Amditis, visit www.senskin.eu or join our Linked In group.

The SENSKIN solution

SENSKIN aims to produce:

A micro-electronic, skin-like, sensor for monitoring transport infrastructure.
A DTN communication system that will guarantee the delivery, availability and integrity of the sensor data even during hostile communication conditions. In the emergency that can follow an extreme event, the sensor data will be preserved through (so-called) panic communication protocols and forwarded to the processing station without loss of availability or accuracy.
A DSS for proactive condition-based structural intervention under operating loads and intervention after extreme events. It will be based on an accurate structural assessment based on input from the sensors.

The SENSKIN technology will be implemented in actual bridges which will serve as reference structures to demonstrate, field evaluate and benchmark the project solution . To achieve this, the project has defined a comprehensive methodology using 10 Work Packages.

Expected impact of SENSKIN

The work in SENSKIN reflects an innovative sensing skin, an innovative DTN solution and LCCs and LCAs that extend the state of the art in a DSS on maintenance management. The proposed monitoring system will be lab and field evaluated and refined while the integrated package will be field evaluated and benchmarked. The state of the art will be advanced in SENSKIN by (a) incorporating ceramic particles in the sensor to improve its mechanical, electrical, dielectric and environmental durability, and (b) producing an innovative stacked structure to the sensor to provide a self-sensing and self-reporting capability. Moreover the extension of the direction/guidance to encompass civil engineering works, and heavy road/rail works in particular, would be a substantial progress in the state of the art.

Currently and since the project is only nine months after execution, there are no tangible results directly linking or leading to the project envisaged socio economic impact. However it is highly expected that the SENSKIN impact will relate to the following:

A new monitoring and management system increasing infrastructure capacity and optimizing maintenance costs for all transport modes
New construction and maintenance techniques that enhance the performance and reliability of infrastructure
Innovative and cost effective approaches to use Green Infrastructure for transport
Extension of the life span of ageing transport infrastructure
Development and application of effective and efficient materials, technologies and tools to meet cost-effectiveness and sustainability goals
Reduction of multi-modal infrastructure construction and maintenance energy intensity and subsequent CO2 pollutants and noise emissions
Support the transition towards zero traffic disruption from inspection, construction and maintenance by 2030 and boost the overall performance of the European transport infrastructure and reduce nuisances generated by transport, such as noise

Progress to date

During the first nine months, the project consortium has developed the end-user requirements that will lead to the definition of the system specifications and final system architecture. These have just been finalised involving a questionnaire on user requirements, with the strong involvement of the project internal end-users and other external parties. At the same time, the validation scenarios, metrics and performance benchmarking metrics have been identified. The consortium is also in the process of translating these user requirements into the system specifications and defining the overall final system architecture, and this work is expected to be finalised imminently. Following that, further SENSKIN technical activities will start.