Memscon - Radio frequency identification tags linked to on board micro-electro-mechanical systems in a wireless, remote and intelligent monitoring and assessment system for the maintainance of constructed facilities.  
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Radio frequency identification tags linked to on board micro-electro-mechanical systems in a wireless, remote and intelligent monitoring and assessment system for the maintainance of constructed facilities.
 
 

Release of the sixth MEMSCON Newsletter

Release of the fifth MEMSCON Newsletter

Release of the fourth MEMSCON Newsletter


MEMSCON Facts

Contract No: 036887 

Project total cost:  4.632.430

EC contribution: 3.814.816

Project Start Date: 1/10/2008

Duration: 36 Months

Coordinator: Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS), Athens, Greece

Instrument: Specific Targeted Research Project

No of partners: 12

 

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D3.1 - Laboratory evaluation of strain sensors

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This deliverable presents the result of the laboratory validation carried out on MEMSCON sensors and consists of two separate parts: part 1 concerns with accelerometers and part 2 with strain sensors. For each type of sensor, two different prototypes had been tested. Phase I prototypes were produced using commercial components that may not fulfill all the project specifications; Phase II.1 prototypes incorporate the first version of MEMS sensors developed within this project. Accelerometers have been tested mounting them back to back with reference sensors on a shaking table. Two types of excitations have been performed: harmonic excitation tests to verify the sensitivity and the linearity of the individual sensors; earthquake-like simulation to simulate operating condition of the wireless sensor network. The test highlighted that data transmission is reliable and that the wake up procedure effective. Accuracy of Phase I accelerometer is of the order of 20 mg which is comparable with the nominal resolution of the commercial device adopted, yet not enough to fulfil the project specifications (2 mg accuracy and 200 Hz sampling frequency). Phase II.1 sensors fulfil the project requirements in terms of resolution and sampling frequency, whereas the accuracy specification is not yet satisfied. Validation tests on strain sensors include tensile tests on bare bars and tensile/compressive tests on reinforced concrete specimens. Tests highlighted that the strain capacity of commercial sensors used in Phase I prototypes is limited to 0.3-0.5%. This limitation have been overcame with a new gluing procedure implemented for Phase II.1 sensors.