University at Buffalo (UB)
Structural self-sensing for wide societal impacts in transportation, buildings, energy and manufacturing
Real-time structural sensing is conventionally provided by embedded/attached sensors, which result in high cost, low durability, small sensing volume and the mechanical performance being diminished. This research provides structural self-sensing, i.e., the structures sensing themselves without sensor incorporation.
Project description
Structural integrity is an international societal concern. It impacts safety, transportation, commerce, energy, defense, climate-change-related sea-level rise resilience, public health, and quality of life. The structures include bridges, roads, rail, dams, sea walls, waste storage, buildings, oil/gas pipelines and wells, wind turbines, missile vertical launchers, aircraft, satellites, and 3D-printed structures. Real-time structural sensing is needed. It is conventionally provided by embedded/attached sensors, which result in high cost, low durability, small sensing volume and the mechanical performance being diminished. This research provides structural self-sensing, i.e., the structures sensing themselves without sensor incorporation. Stress/strain sensing is relevant to structural operation control, structural vibration control, and load monitoring. Examples of load monitoring include pedestrian monitoring, building HVAC-zone occupancy monitoring, oil/gas well cement pressure monitoring, and sea-wall pressure monitoring. This research focuses on real-time structural self-sensing that does not require material modification, as enabled by innovative capacitance measurement. Without material modification, the technology is widely applicable to both existing and new structures.
Project outcome
The project outcome will pertain to the sensing characteristics, i.e., the relationship between the capacitance and the condition of the structure.
Project details
| Length of commitment | 6-9 months |
| Start time | Anytime |
| In-person, remote, or hybrid? | In-person |
| Level of collaboration | Individual student projects |
| Benefits | Academic credit possible through MAE 498 or MAE 499 |
| Who is eligible? | Sophomore, Juniors, Seniors |
Project mentor
Deborah Chung
Professor
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Start the project
- Email the project mentor using the contact information above to express your interest and get approval to work on the project. (Here are helpful tips on how to contact a project mentor.)
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Preparation activities
Once you begin the digital badge series, you will have access to all the necessary activities and instructions. Your mentor has indicated they would like you to also complete the specific preparation activities below. Please reference this when you get to Step 2 of the Preparation Phase.
Read Chapter 1 of the book "Functional Materials", 2nd Edition, by Deborah D.L. Chung, World Scientific Pub. (2021) The book is in the UB Libraries.
Keywords
mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, materials, structures, sensing, monitoring, smart structures