Wireless sensor networks for permanent health monitoring of historic buildings

Zonta, Daniele,Wu, Huayong,Pozzi, Matteo,Zanon, Paolo,Ceriotti, Matteo,Mottola, Luca,Picco, Gian Pietro,Murphy, Amy L.,Guna, Stefan,Corra, Michele Techno-Press 2010 Smart Structures and Systems, An International Jou Vol.6 No.5

This paper describes the application of a wireless sensor network to a 31 meter-tall medieval tower located in the city of Trento, Italy. The effort is motivated by preservation of the integrity of a set of frescoes decorating the room on the second floor, representing one of most important International Gothic artworks in Europe. The specific application demanded development of customized hardware and software. The wireless module selected as the core platform allows reliable wireless communication at low cost with a long service life. Sensors include accelerometers, deformation gauges, and thermometers. A multi-hop data collection protocol was applied in the software to improve the system's flexibility and scalability. The system has been operating since September 2008, and in recent months the data loss ratio was estimated as less than 0.01%. The data acquired so far are in agreement with the prediction resulting a priori from the 3-dimensional FEM. Based on these data a Bayesian updating procedure is employed to real-time estimate the probability of abnormal condition states. This first period of operation demonstrated the stability and reliability of the system, and its ability to recognize any possible occurrence of abnormal conditions that could jeopardize the integrity of the frescos.

Performance evaluation of smart prefabricated concrete elements

Zonta, Daniele,Pozzi, Matteo,Bursi, Oreste S. Techno-Press 2007 Smart Structures and Systems, An International Jou Vol.3 No.4

This paper deals with the development of an innovative distributed construction system based on smart prefabricated concrete elements for the real-time condition assessment of civil infrastructure. So far, two reduced-scale prototypes have been produced, each consisting of a $0.2{\times}0.3{\times}5.6$ m RC beam specifically designed for permanent instrumentation with 8 long-gauge Fiber Optic Sensors (FOS) at the lower edge. The sensing system is Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG)-based and can measure finite displacements both static and dynamic with a sample frequency of 625 Hz per channel. The performance of the system underwent validation in the laboratory. The scope of the experiment was to correlate changes in the dynamic response of the beams with different damage scenarios, using a direct modal strain approach. Each specimen was dynamically characterized in the undamaged state and in various damage conditions, simulating different cracking levels and recurrent deterioration scenarios, including cover spalling and corrosion of the reinforcement. The location and the extent of damage are evaluated by calculating damage indices which take account of changes in frequency and in strain-mode-shapes. The outcomes of the experiment demonstrate how the damage distribution detected by the system is fully compatible with the damage extent appraised by inspection.

The remarkable story of Portogruaro Civic Tower's probabilistic health monitoring

Zonta, Daniele,Pozzi, Matteo Techno-Press 2015 Structural monitoring and maintenance Vol.2 No.4

This is the story of a bell-tower and its monitoring. The Civic Tower in Portogruaro is a 59 m high masonry bell-tower, originally built in the XIII century, today leaning more than a meter out of plumb. Since 2003, the building inclination has been continuously monitored with an optical inclinometer in an effort to see whether the tilt is still in progress. When the monitoring started, it was thought highly unlikely that the Tower would tilt further. After three years of monitoring and historical investigation, this idea was completely overturned. We show here how the initial view developed to a final awareness via a probabilistic analysis of the information acquired, based on Bayesian logic. We illustrate how the joint use of instrumental monitoring and historical documentation allowed timely recognition of signs of ongoing tilting and accurate calculation not only of the mean inclination trend, but also the credibility of this information.

Performance evaluation of smart prefabricated concrete elements

Daniele Zonta,Matteo Pozzi,Oreste S. Bursi 국제구조공학회 2007 Smart Structures and Systems, An International Jou Vol.3 No.4

This paper deals with the development of an innovative distributed construction system based on smart prefabricated concrete elements for the real-time condition assessment of civil infrastructure. So far, two reduced-scale prototypes have been produced, each consisting of a 0.2?.3?.6 m RC beam specifically designed for permanent instrumentation with 8 long-gauge Fiber Optic Sensors (FOS) at the lower edge. The sensing system is Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG)-based and can measure finite displacements both static and dynamic with a sample frequency of 625 Hz per channel. The performance of the system underwent validation in the laboratory. The scope of the experiment was to correlate changes in the dynamic response of the beams with different damage scenarios, using a direct modal strain approach. Each specimen was dynamically characterized in the undamaged state and in various damage conditions, simulating different cracking levels and recurrent deterioration scenarios, including cover spalling and corrosion of the reinforcement. The location and the extent of damage are evaluated by calculating damage indices which take account of changes in frequency and in strain-mode-shapes. The outcomes of the experiment demonstrate how the damage distribution detected by the system is fully compatible with the damage extent appraised by inspection.

Wireless sensor networks for permanent health monitoring of historic buildings

Daniele Zonta,Huayong Wu,Matteo Pozzi,Paolo Zanon,Matteo Ceriotti,Luca Mottola,Gian Pietro Picco,Amy L. Murphy,Stefan Guna,Michele Corrà 국제구조공학회 2010 Smart Structures and Systems, An International Jou Vol.6 No.6

This paper describes the application of a wireless sensor network to a 31 meter-tall medieval tower located in the city of Trento, Italy. The effort is motivated by preservation of the integrity of a set of frescoes decorating the room on the second floor, representing one of most important International Gothic artworks in Europe. The specific application demanded development of customized hardware and software. The wireless module selected as the core platform allows reliable wireless communication at low cost with a long service life. Sensors include accelerometers, deformation gauges, and thermometers. A multi-hop data collection protocol was applied in the software to improve the system flexibility and scalability. The system has been operating since September 2008, and in recent months the data loss ratio was estimated as less than 0.01%. The data acquired so far are in agreement with the prediction resulting a priori from the 3-dimensional FEM. Based on these data a Bayesian updating procedure is employed to real-time estimate the probability of abnormal condition states. This first period of operation demonstrated the stability and reliability of the system, and its ability to recognize any possible occurrence of abnormal conditions that could jeopardize the integrity of the frescos.

Temperature Effects on Elasto-Magnetic Technology for Monitoring Tendon in Post-Tensioning System

Jinsuk Yim,Daniele Zonta 대한토목학회 2012 대한토목학회 학술대회 Vol.2012 No.10

OsAMT1.3 expression alters rice ammonium uptake kinetics and root morphology

Leandro Martins Ferreira,Vinicius Miranda de Souza,Orlando Carlos Huertas Tavares,Everaldo Zonta,Claudete Santa-Catarina,Sonia Regina de Souza,Manlio Silvestre Fernandes,Leandro Azevedo Santos 한국식물생명공학회 2015 Plant biotechnology reports Vol.9 No.4

High-affinity ammonium transporters (AMT1) are responsible for ammonium (NH4 ?) acquisition and/or perception in the micromolar range, and their expressions can be differentially regulated by nitrogen (N) availability. The present study characterised the functions of the rice (Oryza sativa) OsAMT1.3 transporter to understand its contribution to NH4+ acquisition and plant adaptation to environments with low N availability. Transgenic rice plants were obtained to study the activity of the OsAMT1.3 promoter (POsAMT1.3:GFP:GUS) and the overexpression of the OsAMT1.3 gene (UBIL:OsAMT1.3:3xHA) in plants. The OsAMT1.3 promoter activity was induced strongly in the absence of N and occurred primarily in the zones of lateral root emission and root tips. Anatomical sections of the segment of root tips and the middle third showed a differential pattern of OsAMT1.3 activity. Analysis of the OsAMT1.1–1.3 transporter expression profiles indicated that overexpression of OsAMT1.3 positively affected OsAMT1.2 expression. When subjected to a low N supply, plants overexpressing OsAMT1.3 showed lower KM and Cmin values. Additionally, these lines showed longer roots with a higher area, volume, and number of tips. The data suggested that OsAMT1.3 is involved in the ability of rice plants to adapt to low NH4+ supplies.