Grant: Strategic Projects - Group

This projects aims to improve the technology for surveillance, early detection and identification of disastrous events so that measures can be taken to reduce or eliminate dangerous consequences. This objective will be addressed by developing the first distributed Brillouin sensor for vibration wave, acoustic wave and strain detection in large infrastructures such as airports, bridges, buildings, railways, power lines and water/energy pipelines. Acoustic wave and vibration detection are important to provide the internal condition of civil structures, such as cracks, defects and corrosion. Strain detection can contribute to ice load monitoring. It can also be an elegant and invisible way to monitorany unauthorized entry into a restricted area by a person or a vehicle. The traditional vibration and acoustic wave sensors are point sensors. In order to cover an entire bridge structure or an airport security area, many sensors, wires and display units are needed which makes monitoring system complicated and expensive. The demand for reliable, easy to install, accurate and cost effective sensors is obvious. The specific objectives of the project are: 1. To develop the distributed static strain and acoustic wave sensing for ice load and sudden current change of power lines; 2. To develop the distributed dynamic and static strain sensor for structural damage monitoring and intrusion sensing. The dynamic sensing through acoustic and vibration wave detection will provide a good standard for structures monitoring in terms of public safety, comfort and convenience. This is very important to protect and prolong the useful life of structures, to prevent potential disaster and to estimate rehabilitation and maintenance needs.