Closing the Loop: The Integration of Structural Vibration Monitoring in Engineering Design Practice
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Sch of Engineering
Abstract
The objective of the proposed research topic is to develop a technique through which the use and performance of a structure, as characterised by its vibrational responses to loading, may be incorporated into the design process for similar structural systems.
This is seeking to create a feedback loop between the designer and the performance and operational use of the structures which they create. Through doing so, structural engineers may continue to learn from their past structures, using the information to shape future designs, improving both the efficiency of the structural system and the efficacy of the assumptions which underlie many structural calculations.
This is seeking to create a feedback loop between the designer and the performance and operational use of the structures which they create. Through doing so, structural engineers may continue to learn from their past structures, using the information to shape future designs, improving both the efficiency of the structural system and the efficacy of the assumptions which underlie many structural calculations.
Organisations
- University of Edinburgh (Lead Research Organisation)
- Autodesk (Collaboration)
- Alan Turing Institute (Collaboration)
- University of Twente (Collaboration)
- Smith and Wallwork (Collaboration)
- Transport Scotland (Collaboration)
- IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
- Arup Group (Collaboration)
- Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) (Collaboration)
- MX3D BV (Collaboration)
| Description | I have developed a new method which can take real-time data from sensors on structures such as buildings and bridges and process it to produce information regarding its condition, the loads imposed on it and its likely future performance which is valuable to various stakeholders in our infrastructure and built environment. This method is unlike anything previously developed as it can be ran in real-time, allowing data to be analysed in-situ, and has the temporal resolution required to accurately capture how the behaviour of structures varies with external factors (temperature, loading, damage). Through tracking changes in the behaviour, a wide range of structural parameters usually measured by more expensive, delicate or complex sensors, can be estimated. The method is user-friendly and designed specifically for non-specialist users. |
| Exploitation Route | The method provides a strong basis for analysing data collected from in-situ monitoring of structures. We are currently exploring how best to put the research in the hands of civil and structural engineers for use in real-world projects, including exploring opportunities for commercialization with industrial partners. |
| Sectors | Construction,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Energy,Transport |
| Description | Data-Driven Entrepreneurship - Venture Builder Incubator |
| Amount | £2,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2021 |
| Description | LT2 Smart Bridge - Institute of Infrastructure and Environment funding |
| Amount | £3,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2021 |
| Description | LT2 Smart Bridge - School of Engineering funding |
| Amount | £3,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2021 |
| Description | NPIF Innovation Placement |
| Amount | £820 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2019 |
| End | 05/2019 |
| Description | MX3D Smart Bridge |
| Organisation | Alan Turing Institute |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Advised on the design, installation and commissioning of a structure/environmental sensor network to the MX3D Bridge, the world's first 3D printed steel bridge. Undertook extensive structural testing on the bridge and currently undertaking remote testing on the structure. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided administrative support, access to expert knowledge, and financial support to the wider project. Provided expert knowledge, access to the MX3D Bridge for experimental testing, access to Autodesk software for data processing. Providing equipment for experimental testing. Access to a finite element model of the bridge. |
| Impact | Institute of Structural Engineers - Young Researchers Conference 2021 presentation |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | MX3D Smart Bridge |
| Organisation | Autodesk |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Advised on the design, installation and commissioning of a structure/environmental sensor network to the MX3D Bridge, the world's first 3D printed steel bridge. Undertook extensive structural testing on the bridge and currently undertaking remote testing on the structure. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided administrative support, access to expert knowledge, and financial support to the wider project. Provided expert knowledge, access to the MX3D Bridge for experimental testing, access to Autodesk software for data processing. Providing equipment for experimental testing. Access to a finite element model of the bridge. |
| Impact | Institute of Structural Engineers - Young Researchers Conference 2021 presentation |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | MX3D Smart Bridge |
| Organisation | Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Advised on the design, installation and commissioning of a structure/environmental sensor network to the MX3D Bridge, the world's first 3D printed steel bridge. Undertook extensive structural testing on the bridge and currently undertaking remote testing on the structure. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided administrative support, access to expert knowledge, and financial support to the wider project. Provided expert knowledge, access to the MX3D Bridge for experimental testing, access to Autodesk software for data processing. Providing equipment for experimental testing. Access to a finite element model of the bridge. |
| Impact | Institute of Structural Engineers - Young Researchers Conference 2021 presentation |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | MX3D Smart Bridge |
| Organisation | Imperial College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Advised on the design, installation and commissioning of a structure/environmental sensor network to the MX3D Bridge, the world's first 3D printed steel bridge. Undertook extensive structural testing on the bridge and currently undertaking remote testing on the structure. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided administrative support, access to expert knowledge, and financial support to the wider project. Provided expert knowledge, access to the MX3D Bridge for experimental testing, access to Autodesk software for data processing. Providing equipment for experimental testing. Access to a finite element model of the bridge. |
| Impact | Institute of Structural Engineers - Young Researchers Conference 2021 presentation |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | MX3D Smart Bridge |
| Organisation | MX3D BV |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Advised on the design, installation and commissioning of a structure/environmental sensor network to the MX3D Bridge, the world's first 3D printed steel bridge. Undertook extensive structural testing on the bridge and currently undertaking remote testing on the structure. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided administrative support, access to expert knowledge, and financial support to the wider project. Provided expert knowledge, access to the MX3D Bridge for experimental testing, access to Autodesk software for data processing. Providing equipment for experimental testing. Access to a finite element model of the bridge. |
| Impact | Institute of Structural Engineers - Young Researchers Conference 2021 presentation |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | MX3D Smart Bridge |
| Organisation | University of Twente |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Advised on the design, installation and commissioning of a structure/environmental sensor network to the MX3D Bridge, the world's first 3D printed steel bridge. Undertook extensive structural testing on the bridge and currently undertaking remote testing on the structure. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided administrative support, access to expert knowledge, and financial support to the wider project. Provided expert knowledge, access to the MX3D Bridge for experimental testing, access to Autodesk software for data processing. Providing equipment for experimental testing. Access to a finite element model of the bridge. |
| Impact | Institute of Structural Engineers - Young Researchers Conference 2021 presentation |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Queensferry Crossing |
| Organisation | Arup Group |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Analysed structural monitoring data collected from the Queensferry Crossing, provided summaries to the design engineers. Developed tools and techniques for automated analysis of the data. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided access to the sensor data alongside detailing the design and construction of the bridge. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Queensferry Crossing |
| Organisation | Transport Scotland |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Analysed structural monitoring data collected from the Queensferry Crossing, provided summaries to the design engineers. Developed tools and techniques for automated analysis of the data. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided access to the sensor data alongside detailing the design and construction of the bridge. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Timber structures |
| Organisation | Smith and Wallwork |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Analysed timber structures designed by Smith and Wallwork in-situ. Provided feedback to the engineers on the structural performance of their designs. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Arranged access to the structures for testing, provided details on the design and constructions of the structures. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society - Post-graduate research conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presented a research poster at the 2019 EGIS PGR conference. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Scottish Research Partnership in Engineering - Annual conference demonstration |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presented a digital image correlation system on the show floor of the 2019 annual conference. Engage with members of the conference through interactive demonstrations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | University of Edinburgh - Open days |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presented experiments related to structural monitoring at a large number of University Open days (>15). During these sessions we'd invite the audience to engage with the experiments, and discuss their results and the purpose of the research. Due to the interactive nature of these displays they would consistently draw large crowds. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019,2020 |