Engineering researchers at Penn State University are looking to increase the safety of temporary structures on construction sites— and they’re using sensor technology to do it. By using Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), which are engineered systems built from, and dependant on, the seamless integration of computational algorithms and physical components (National Science Foundation), researchers believe they can create a symbiotic information relationship between structures and workers.
Plainly put, University researchers are looking to incorporate CPS into construction’s temporary equipment and structures as a way of feeding vital infrastructural data to the workers onsite. Through the use of technology, researchers believe they can secure construction sites and prevent the many fatalities that often occur as a direct result of faulty or unstable structures.
The study, carried out by architectural engineering Ph.D. candidate Xiao Yuan, focuses on enhancing the monitoring of temporary structures through the use of CPS, with a natural progression towards prevention through structural assessment. But Yuan’s research doesn’t just stop at safety and prevention, it delves into the theories behind CPS and what using CPS in these structures could really offer an industry like construction; capability, adaptability, scalability, resiliency, safety, security, and usability are all advancements Yuan and Penn State believe are to be had with the incorporation of CPS.
Industry strides aside, at the heart of Yuan’s research is understanding how linking sensors on structures and virtual models can safeguard construction sites, prevent injuries and fatalities, and ensure the overall safety of the more than 75% of construction workers who come into contact with temporary structures on a daily basis.
Through virtual prototyping, data acquisition systems, and communication networks, using CPS would allow for real-time inspections, remote interaction, early warnings of potential failures, and immediate notifications dispatched to workers through a mobile app. Essentially, Yuan is looking to use CPS to notify workers before any real danger poses a threat, and then employ proactive measures to fix the problem before it happens.
According to her research, using CPS technology in a construction setting would secure any number of different construction jobs and structures, including but not limited to sheeting and shoring, temporary bracing or guide rails, soil backfills, formwork systems, scaffolding, underpinning of foundations, temporary or emergency shelters, lateral Earth retaining structures, construction access barriers, temporary grandstands and bleachers, and more. CPS tech could be applied to nearly any temporary structure in construction and could theoretically lessen the danger.
The use of CPS would work something like this, according to Yuan’s research: bidirectional workflow of the CPS would allow the sensors located on the temporary structures to collect and send data to LabVIEW, (the data acquisition system behind everything). At this point, the information collected on the structure is processed and sent to a cloud database. Queries every two seconds would monitor the structural performance based on predefined values.
If there is no safety threat, the system continues to collect information uninterrupted. If there is a safety threat, the potentially hazardous section is highlighted in the 3D virtual model and warning notifications, complete with a detail of the structural deficiencies, are sent to worker’s, safety inspector’s, and project manager’s mobile devices. From there, work is halted so the problem(s) can be fixed.
Five different failure scenarios have already been simulated, tested, and proven, and now that Yuan’s concept has been successful multiple times, she says the next step in her research is figuring out the costs and installation factors on real construction jobsites. Once that is determined, Yuan hopes to test CPS in real construction settings, where she says she will be able to gain a more comprehensive understanding of CPS’ place in the world of construction.
For more information on Xiao Yuan’s research, you can read on CPS in construction here.
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