Interstory drift measurement systems and methods of using the same can include a laser beam source configured to emit a beam having at least a first width in a first direction and a sensor system comprising a plurality of diodes spaced apart from one another in the first direction. The plurality of diodes can include a first diode and a diode spacing width in the first direction as measured between a centerline of the first diode and a centerline of an adjacent diode of the plurality of diodes in the first direction. The beam width in the first direction is at least two times the diode spacing width.

A sensor-enabled geogrid system for and method of monitoring the health, condition, and/or status of pavement and vehicular infrastructure is disclosed. In some embodiments, the sensor-enabled geogrid system includes a sensor-enabled geogrid that further includes a geogrid holding an arrangement of one or more sensors. The sensor-enabled geogrid system further includes a communication means or network for collecting information and/or data from the sensor-enabled geogrid about the health, condition, and/or status of the pavement and vehicular infrastructure. Further, a method of using the presently disclosed sensor-enabled geogrid system for monitoring the health, condition, and/or status of pavement and vehicular infrastructure is provided.

A method for calculating a temperature-dependent mid-span vertical displacement of a girder bridge includes: setting a joint rotation of a main girder at each support as an unknown quantity, and establishing an equation according to a bending moment equilibrium condition at the joint; then introducing a sequence to establish a quantitative relationship between each unknown quantity; substituting the relationship into the equation, to obtain an analytical formula for a rotation at each joint; establishing an analytical formula for a bending moment at each joint through a principle of superposition; and finally, establishing an analytical formula for a mid-span vertical displacement of each span girder through a principle of virtual work. This method provides an analytical formula with exact solutions for prismatic girder bridges which have equal side spans yet have any number of spans.

A health monitoring system for a crane (10) includes a wheel assembly (50, 70) having a wheel (120) with an axle (160) defining an axis (172) of rotation of the wheel. The health monitoring system further includes a plurality of strain gauges (208) coupled to the axle at circumferential locations around the axis of rotation. The strain gauges continuously detect strains experienced at the wheel. The health monitoring system further includes a data acquisition system (200) coupled to the wheel that receives data from the strain gauges corresponding to detected strains. The health monitoring system further includes a main controller (204) coupled to the data acquisition system. The main controller receives data from the data acquisition system corresponding to the detected strains, uses the data to calculate loading applied to the wheel assembly continuous in real-time in both a first direction, a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a third direction perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for determining a scaling factor for a strain measurement in a machine element, comprising steps for measuring a strain in a measurement surface portion by means of a strain measuring device; for measuring a displacement of a detection surface portion of the machine element by an optical scanning; for determining a displacement field on a surface of the machine element on the basis of a model of the machine element and the measured displacement of the at least one detection surface portion; for determining a strain field on the surface of the machine element on the basis of the determined displacement field and the model of the machine element; and for determining a scaling factor of the strain measuring device on the basis of the determined strain field and the measured strain in the measurement surface portion.

A measurement apparatus for determining a bending moment acting on a hollow cylindrical body in a current state as well as to a method of operating such a measurement apparatus. The measurement apparatus may include a sensor support structure, a sensor arrangement with sensors, and a processing system. The processing system may determine displacements of the inner surface of the hollow cylindrical body relative to the sensors based on the distances measured in the current state compared to the distances measured during an initial undeformed state, and determine the bending moment acting on the hollow cylindrical body based on the displacements.

A supporting system for a floating unit in shallow water exerts controlled stresses on the floating unit hull and includes supporting structure for the hull. An extendable supporting device operatively connects to the supporting structure and is suitable to support a predetermined weight of the floating unit and load when entirely supported by the extendable supporting device and when the extendable supporting device rests on a bed of a water body. An actuator device connects to the supporting structure and operatively connects to the extendable supporting device for extension or contraction. A control device operatively connects to the actuator device to control the extraction or contraction movement of the extendable supporting device. The system includes at least one hull stress monitoring device operatively connected to the control device. A device to monitor the stress, or load, on the extendable supporting device operatively connects to the control device.

The present invention resides in a sensorized roller of a roller bearing. The sensorized roller includes a roller bore that accommodates a measuring device for measuring deformation of the roller bore and electronics for processing a deformation signal from the measuring device and wirelessly transmitting the processed deformation signal to an external receiver. According to the invention, the measuring device and electronics are mounted in a rigid housing that is shaped to fit within the roller bore. A radially outer surface of the housing includes at least one aperture associated with the measuring device. Furthermore, the rigid housing is resiliently mounted to the roller bore via first and second sealing elements that enclose a radial gap between a radially inner surface of the roller bore and a radially outer surface of the housing.

A system for measuring a deformation of a structure configured to be installed on an aircraft includes deformation sensor means configured to be associated with the structure and to assume an electrical resistance value indicative of the deformation of the structure and having two short-circuited electrical connection terminals to recreate a closed circuit, magnetic field excitation means having a laser generator and configured to generate a magnetic field concatenated with the closed circuit to generate an induced current, electromagnetic radiation, transmission means having an antenna and configured to emit an electromagnetic radiation, value of the electromagnetic radiation being a function of the electrical resistance of the deformation sensor means, electromagnetic radiation receiving means having an antenna and configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation transmitted by the electromagnetic radiation transmission means, and control means for determining the deformation of the structure as a function of the value of electromagnetic radiation received.

A method of monitoring the health of an aircraft propeller whilst the propeller is in operation, the propeller having a plurality of blades extending radially outwardly from hub arms of a propeller hub, which in turn extend radially outwardly from a central axis extending through the propeller and a propeller drive shaft, is provided. The method comprises obtaining measurements representative of the strain in each of at least some of the hub arms using strain sensors, each of the strain sensors being provided on a respective hub arm. A corresponding propeller health monitoring system, an aircraft propeller comprising the system and an aircraft comprising the propeller are also provided.