CAREER: Intelligent Self-Monitoring Nondestructive Evaluation System for Quantitative Global Assessment of Bridges

New Mexico State University, Las Cruces NM

Investigators

Abstract

PI's Name, Institution: Gabe V. Garcia, New Mexico State University Proposal Number: 9984616 Proposal Title: Intelligent Self-Monitoring Nondestructive Evaluation System for Quantitative Global Assessment of Bridges Abstract: The research goal of this proposal is concerned with the development of a self-monitoring modal based nondestructive evaluation (NDE) system. The research is focused on the following four areas: (1) extraction of the modal parameters, (2) detection and localization of damage, (3) estimation of damage magnitude, and (4) assessment of the damage (i.e. determining the reliability of the structure). The objectives within these four focus area are: to determine the optimum method to extract the modal parameters form ambient test data and define the data acquisition system; to determine the optimum method or combination of methods for the purpose of damage detection and localization; to determine the most appropriate method to estimate the magnitude (severity) of the damage; and to determine the most appropriate method to perform global assessment of the structure. Although may vibration based nondestructive damage detection methods exist, a critical area that is missing in current research is the estimation of the magnitude of the damage, the assessment of the damage on the structure as a whole, and the integration of this information into existing bridge management systems. For this reason, this research is focused on the estimation and assessment of damage and the integration of this information into current bridge management systems. The educational goal of this proposal is concerned with the incorporation of research and four educational tools (hands-on learning, critical thinking, communicating in engineering , and technology in the classroom) into engineering courses. This incorporation of education tools is expected to facilitate the development of a sound mechanical engineering research and educational program in modal analysis