Lopamudra Chakrabarty, Civil Engineer, lopamudra@naexo.me
The condition of a structure is one of the major concerns while investing in a property as it would indicate the durability, longevity or remaining lifespan of the structure, which in turn would decide the amount of money that would need to be spent on the structure for maintenance and renovation or repairing purposes.
At the inception of any design, the ideal lifespan of a structure is considered to be 100 years to 150 years, depending on whether it is a reinforced concrete structure or steel structure. But as we know, realistically, any reinforced concrete structure has a lifespan of 40 to 50 years and steel structures that of around 100 years at most. This deterioration is caused by several factors that include degradation of concrete due to extreme weather conditions, corrosion due to water leakage, change of loading pattern, weathering and natural wear and tear during service life. Still, the primary reason structures fail prematurely, as soon as around 10 years of their construction, is attributed to poor construction quality, including poor material quality and improper construction practices. Some of these concerns can be erased by stricter supervision during construction, but once the construction is done, there are very few ways to find out the subpar quality of construction.
The more damage there is to a structure, its integrity is compromised, and the more money is needed to be spent on it. The only way to contain this dispensable expense is by proper and regular monitoring of the structure by qualified personnel using their experience combined with the most advanced technology. Good and regular monitoring of a structure not only reduces the financial hassle of the property owner but also reduces waste due to demolition, thus enhancing energy conservation. Better structure longevity also indicates better utilisation of natural resources used during construction.
Overall, better structural health monitoring enhances the economic and constructional sustainability of a structure.
We found the perfect balance between these two by developing "Infostructure", a solution built by a team of dedicated engineers equipped with a vast array of screening methods that can monitor the health of your infrastructure assets like bridges, rigid pavements, heritage buildings, etc. and help you to act before any major damage occurs. We use various sensors to monitor certain aspects of any structure based on their type and the necessity of the structure at hand. The sensors are installed at strategic key locations of the structure where either damage has already occurred or is predicted to occur by various studies on that specific type of structure. These sensors, mounted or embedded in the structure, measure and record various parameters relevant to the current state of the structure and its surroundings and transmit them to a monitor connected via wired or wireless means. Then the engineering team interprets the data and helps decide the best course to preserve the structure. Necessary action might include repairing the structure or complete rehabilitation, which is determined based on the data interpreted.
The monitoring time frame is customisable and can be moulded to suit your specific needs. Long-term and Short-term monitoring are perfectly suitable methods for constant monitoring to study structure behaviours with or without suspected damage. Extreme event monitoring is usually done with investigation using various Non-destructive testing methods.
For the best results, any new structure is advised to be fitted with sensors from the very beginning of its service life. When monitoring from the beginning, any small deformity or irregularity found in the structure which might lead to bigger challenges in future can be contained and repaired before they cause any serious damage to the structure.
The initial investment for installing an SHM system at the project's inception, including operational costs, is only about 0.5% of the total project cost. The annual maintenance for a mid-segment project in India is around 0.75%. Even though these AMCs usually include funds for emergencies, the sudden cost of repairing or rehabilitating will not be a financial and lifestyle hassle for every project. When already under constant surveillance, not only do none of these repairs come as a surprise, they can be caught earlier in turn, making the repairs a much easier and faster job.
An automated monitoring system, thoughtfully designed by integrating the use of sensor networks and other non-contact monitoring methods, provides a tremendous amount of information that will allow an accurate assessment of the condition of the structure and help in sustaining the design life and prolonging it even further.
To know more about how we can assist you in making optimum decisions about your infrastructure assets, drop us a mail at hello@naexo.me