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2.0 Projects
Smart Reinforcing Cable
Over a period of years while at Queen's University (Kingston), Professor Will Bawden led the development of a "SMART" (Stretch Measurement to Assess Reinforcement Tension) reinforcing cable for use in mining and civil geotechnical projects. Once installed, this instrumented cable can be used to determine how the ground is deforming in response to ongoing excavation. The cable is now routinely used in the mining industry, and has recently been installed in the construction of the Leslie Station at the TTC's Sheppard Subway Expansion Project. Ongoing work seeks to integrate this ground information with analysis, design and performance monitoring procedures, in much the same as is currently being studied for civil structures in the ISIS project.
Intelligent Tunnel Boring MachinesThe Sheppard Subway line tunnels in Toronto are being constructed using Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM's) which are heavily instrumented for RPM, torque, thrust, power consumption, earth balance pressures etc. Professor Grabinsky has project studying the performance data and helping the contractor to optimize machine performance for improved advanced rate, lower operating costs and reduced damage to surface structures in proximity to the tunneling. |
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Intelligent Transportation Systems
Professor Abdulhai is the manager of the Intelligent Transportation Systems Laboratory in the Department of Civil Engineering. The emphasis of the ITS work is on Advanced Traffic Management and Information Systems (ATMIS), and Advanced Public Transit Systems (APTS).
Professor Abdulhai's other research includes modeling and simulation of dynamic transportation networks and application of emerging technologies and advanced computer techniques (neural networks and reinforced learning) to advanced traffic management and information systems and infrastructure design and management.
SmartPipeProfessor Karney is working on a collaborative project between the U of T and IPEX to develop the SmartPipe concept. A pipeline has been constructed to test system components, and preliminary designs for a SmartConnector have been produced. |
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Federated Devices
Professor El-Diraby's research establishes strategies for utilization of smart materials and federated devices in infrastructure systems. This includes evaluating the benefits of their utilization, estimating their life cycle cost, developing criteria and guidelines for their use in projects, and establishing specifications on their acquisition, installation and maintenance.
In addition to innovative use of robotics (for example, using robots to install fiber optic cables into sewers) a new breed of smarter materials, devices and facilities are gaining momentum in the infrastructure market. Many organizations are involved in research (and successful implementations) to incorporate sensors in the building material of physical infrastructure (especially concrete). These sensors are capable of sending information monitoring the deflection of a bridge or the water level in a telecommunication duct via wireless means to monitoring stations. Furthermore, new network-friendly devices are being designed (and utilized) to communicate in a "federated" way. These devices are able to set, define, install and debug themselves. In the case of infrastructure, gas valves, telecommunication switches, traffic signals and other devices could be added to the infrastructure system at any time. The infrastructure management system will be able to recognize them immediately and start passing orders and receiving data from them. Promising new technologies (Jini, J2ME, etc.) have been introduced to remotely control such devices through software commands. This advanced technology is opening the way to automate the control of infrastructure components through computer software.
References
Akhras, G. (1999) Smart Structures with FRP composites, Annual Conference of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering, Regina, Saskatchewan, June 2-5.
Pendulbury, M. (1998) Sensors, pipelines, and intelligent decision making: progress of the SmartPipe project, Dept. of Civil Engineering, University of Toronto, and IPEX Inc.