The SENSKIN ('Sensing Skin' for Monitoring-Based Maintenance of the Transport Infrastructure) H2020 project's main objectives include developing:
- A micro-electronic, skin-like, sensor for monitoring transport infrastructure, with a spatial sensing of reversible (repeated) strains in the range of 0.012%,
- A delay (or disruption) tolerant communication system that will guarantee the delivery, availability and integrity of the sensor data even during hostile communication conditions.
- A Decision Support System (DSS) for proactive condition-based structural intervention under operating loads and intervention after extreme events.
The project started in June 2015 with the extraction and structuring of the end-user requirements and the development of the system specifications and architecture.
SENSOR AND DATA ACQUISITION PROCESS
Following this, the system development has now fully started and the project is already in the first prototyping stage where the second sensor prototype has been produced, together with its data acquisition system. At the same time, the SENSKIN communication system is in the process of reaching its first prototype, where the integration work for the whole SENSKIN prototype is expected to start. In parallel, the development of the structural assessment module has started, focusing on a finite modeling required for the whole bridge.
Meanwhile, the rehabilitation Planning Module, the
Decision Support System (
DSS) and SENSKIN package integration works have also started on technical descriptions for measures and reviews of strengthening measures for Germany (cost factors, materials, environment, etc.).
There has been some significant progress on the development of the SENSKIN sensor that can be summarised as follows: materials for the stretchable capacitor and electrodes have been selected, the silicone layers have been developed and the two films will be put together back to back to form a stretchable capacitor. The sensors have a very stable output in a relatively large range of strain rates. The sensors also show quite a linear output in a range of pre-strains between 0% and 20%. The results obtained so far indicate that the selected sensor design is feasible, as well as materials, and may be considered as a basis for further developments. At the same time, the data acquisition module is being designed and consists of an analogue electronics part and a subsequent digital signal processor (DSP). The design of the sensor has been improved both in terms of performance, ease of fabrication and encapsulation.
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