CommerceNet
Strain Monitor Systems
NGI Application Development Program
NGI Based Civil-Infrastructure Monitoring System
NGI Based Civil-Infrastructure Monitoring Systems
Strain Monitor Systems
Project Summary
Problem/Opportunity
The United States is reaching a
crisis in aging infrastructure. We
take the integrity of our highway
bridges, stadiums and high-rises for
granted and afford them a degree of
permanency
increasingly
undeserved. Structures built during a
post-war building boom with 50year design lives are showing the
effects of aging, overuse and
environmental stress, often resulting
in closure or catastrophic collapse. A 1997 bridge census concluded that 32% of the
nation's bridges were either functionally obsolete or structurally deficient. The
Government estimates that the cost of retiring this infrastructure deficit is over $200
billion. It is critical to intelligently allocate scarce funds if public safety is to be
maintained. Systems that can economically monitor and quantify structural integrity
problems are crucially needed.
Strain Monitor Systems, Inc. (SMS) develops, sells and installs cost-effective systems
that remotely monitor and report the health of large civil structures, such as bridges,
buildings, pipelines, dams, etc. The SMS LIFE-SPAN™ technology incorporates
patented and proprietary hardware, software, and equipment that use the Internet to
distribute critical, objective information to the parties responsible for deciding if they
should repair or replace the structure.
SMS’ LIFE-SPAN™ system uses landline telephone or cell modems to return the data
from the remote structure to SMS. At SMS, the data is analyzed and placed on a secure
web site where the party responsible for the structure may access it. This design has
several limitations. The bandwidth available using telephone modems is limited even in
the best of situations, and is problematic in remote sites or older areas. Cell modems are
unreliable, insecure, and have extremely limited bandwidth.
Approach
SMS will redesign this system to accommodate data transmission to and from the
structure directly via the Internet. Since high-speed lines are generally not available at
these remote sites, we will also identify and fabricate a prototype wireless solution to
connect the site directly to the Internet. This prototype system will be demonstrated
© CommerceNet 2001
17 August 2001
CommerceNet
Strain Monitor Systems
NGI Application Development Program
NGI Based Civil-Infrastructure Monitoring System
using one of the sites we currently monitor, such as the Washington Monument or
Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. We expect to install a monitoring station at the
Southern California NGI Center so that its resources can be used to assist in this
development and to provide a demonstration of this capability at the Center using a
highly visible site, such as the Washington Monument.
This proposed design will benefit greatly from the NGI in terms of improved reliability,
better security and, to a lesser extent, bandwidth. Furthermore, as 3G cellular is
integrated with the NGI, this approach will allow secure, low-cost, nationwide wireless
connection to nearly every important civil structure. Such a network of monitored
structures will eventually have a large impact on our economy, with applications ranging
from simple decisions concerning repair or replace, to traffic control, disaster relief, and
public safety.
Strain Monitor Systems, Inc.
Strain Monitor Systems, Inc. is located in San Diego, California. The mission of Strain
Monitor Systems, Inc. is to develop technologies enabling cost-effective solutions for
remotely monitoring the "health" of major structural inventory. Its LIFE-SPAN™
technology offers clients the ability to reduce the life-cycle cost of bridges, buildings,
dams, tunnels, pipelines, towers and other major structures.
Contact Information
To find out more about Strain Monitor Systems (www.strainmonitor.com) and its NGI
Application project please contact Dr. Bruce Westermo at (619) 702-7002 or
bwestermo@strainmonitor.com.
For more information on CommerceNet’s Next Generation Internet Application program
please contact Molly Petrick at (408) 446-1260 x234 or molly@commerce.net, or
Richard Jullig at (408) 446-1260 x286 or richard@commerce.net.
© CommerceNet 2001
17 August 2001