Current ICT Project
Investigators:
  Farhad Ansari (Primary)
Project Title:
  Simple Cost Effective Scour Sensor
Start Date: 8/1/2007
End Date: 10/31/2008
Summary of Project:
  Local bridge scour is caused by the interference of bridge piers with the flow of water and is characterized by the formation of scour holes. Local scour occurs at a bridge pier when the local flow field is strong enough to remove bed materials. Several variables affect the scour depth including the flow intensity, the relative flow depth, and the pier-width, and the properties of the river bed materials. ICT is developing a fiber optic scour sensor capable of monitoring and providing quantitative characteristics of both scour depth and flow processes, i.e. rate. The proposed fiber optic scour sensor will include a single Fiber Optic Bragg Grating (FBG) sensor embedded inside a rod cantilevered into the river bed. The sensor will allow for better monitoring of scour and therefore better bridge maintenance.
Objective of Project:
  The objective for the project is to develop a simple sensor for detection of scour depth under the bridge piers and abutments. The research involves development, testing and fabrication of the prototype sensor assembly, laboratory prototype testing, modeling, fabrication of field sensor, and field implementation. The sensor principle is based on optical fiber transduction of scour.
Expected Outcome:
  A fiber optic scour sensor capable of monitoring and providing quantitative characteristics of both scour depth and flow processes, i.e. rate. The proposed fiber optic scour sensor will include a single Fiber Optic Bragg Grating (FBG) sensor embedded inside a rod cantilevered into the river bed. The sensor will allow for better monitoring of scour and therefore better bridge maintenance.
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Last Updated: 11/18/2009