How Environmental Factors Slowly Damage Our Infrastructures (And How Environmental Monitoring Systems Help)
When we discuss the safety of our infrastructures, we always relate it to the presence of heavy traffic, earthquake activity, or construction problems. However, some of the major problems that affect our infrastructures are not really problems. Instead, they are factors that slowly damage our infrastructures.
Some of the factors that can cause damage to our infrastructures include temperature changes, moisture, the movement of the earth, and pollution. The problem is that the damage is done slowly. This makes it difficult to detect the changes.
Today, our infrastructures are designed to incorporate the use of environmental monitoring systems.
The Hidden Impact of Environmental Conditions
The infrastructure is always exposed to environmental changes. Even minor changes can have a significant impact on the stability of the infrastructure.
Some of the common environmental changes that affect the infrastructure include:
Temperature changes
Extreme temperatures can affect the infrastructure since they can expand or contract materials like concrete or steel.
Moisture or humidity changes
Water can affect the infrastructure since it can penetrate the concrete or even corrode steel.
Ground movement changes
The movement of the ground can affect the position of the infrastructure.
Wind pressure changes
Tall buildings or bridges are always exposed to wind changes.
The Shortcomings of Traditional Inspections
Traditional inspections by human inspectors have some limitations. Most importantly:
Engineers inspect a structure only once or twice a year. Any changes that happen between inspections will remain undetected.
Another limitation is that some changes in a structure are very minor and cannot be detected by the naked eye. For instance:
Minute cracks in concrete
Minor movements in the structure
Corrosion in the early stages
The aforementioned changes and issues can be detected by the sensors.
How Monitoring Systems Protect Infrastructure
Environmental and structural monitoring systems involve the use of sophisticated sensors placed on the structure to collect data.
The sensors are designed to collect data on key aspects such as:
Vibrations of the structure
Development of cracks
Levels of stress or strain
Changes in temperature
Ground movement
Tilt or displacement
The data collected is then analyzed using monitoring systems to enable engineers to understand how the structure is performing.
When unusual changes are observed, the system can send an alert to engineers to enable them to take action before the situation becomes dangerous.
Real World Applications of Monitoring Technology
Today, infrastructure projects involving monitoring systems are quite common.
Some of these applications are as follows:
Bridge Monitoring
Vibrations, stress levels, and movement are detected by sensors on bridges.
Dam Safety Monitoring
Water pressure, seepage, and movement are constantly monitored.
High Rise Buildings
Wind pressure and movement are constantly monitored.
Tunnels and Underground Structures
Movement of the ground and environmental conditions are constantly monitored to avert tunnel collapse.
Future of Infrastructure Monitoring
With the advancement of technology, the systems used for monitoring are becoming more intelligent.
Currently, the systems used for infrastructure monitoring are:
IoT-based sensors
Cloud data platforms
Remote monitoring dashboards
AI-based analysis
With the use of these systems, the engineers can monitor the structures from anywhere in the world.
The aim of the system is simple: to predict the problems before they occur, not after the damage is done.
Final Thoughts
Infrastructure is always working in concert with the environment. Factors like temperature, moisture, wind, and ground movement all affect the way that structures behave over time.
By using environmental monitoring systems in conjunction with structural health monitoring systems, engineers can identify problems that are not readily apparent and reduce maintenance costs.
As our cities grow and our infrastructure becomes even more complex, monitoring systems will be a larger part of ensuring the structures that we use every day remain safe.
