Research

Decentralized Monitoring with Mobile Sensor Networks

Providing high spatial resolution and reconfigurable architecture, autonomous mobile sensors can constitute an intelligent mobile sensor network for structural health monitoring. A wireless sensing device developed by our group has the potential for ultrasonic thickness measurement of steel plates. Meanwhile, the latest robot platforms developed by Prof. Hung La‘s group at University of Nevada, Reno demonstrate promising performance navigating on steel bridge members. Marrying the two state-of-the-art developments, this research produces a magnet-wheeled mobile robot capable of autonomous ultrasonic thickness measurement of steel bridge members. The automated robot localization provides accurate thickness measurement locations, which are mapped in real-time in 3D space together with the robot’s travel path. We validated the performance of the developed system in several indoor and outdoor tests.

Furtheremore, in collaboration with Prof. Kok-Meng Lee‘s group in ME at Georgia Tech, a magnet-wheeled mobile sensor prototype has been developed for navigating on ferromagnetic structures. Decentralized strategies are being developed to best utilize the high spatial resolution enabled by the mobile sensing data. We aim to discover substructure-based finite element model updating and system identification algorithms that enable decentralized synthesis of sensor data at unprecedented high spatial resolution.

Selected Publications

  1. Otsuki, Y., Nguyen, S. T., La, H. M., and Wang, Y. (2023). “Autonomous ultrasonic thickness measurement of steel bridge members using a climbing bicycle robot“, ASCE Journal of Engineering Mechanics, 149(8): 04023051.

  2. Otsuki, Y., Nguyen, S. T., La, H. M., and Wang, Y. (2022). “Autonomous ultrasonic thickness measurement using a steel climbing mobile robot integrated with Martlet wireless sensing.” Proceedings of the 30th ASNT Research Symposium, St. Louis, MO, USA, June 20-23, 2022.

  3. Wu, D., Zeng, M., Zhao, H., Wang, Y., and Du, Y. (2021).  “Detection and localization of debonding beneath concrete pavement using transmissibility function analysis“, Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, 159: 107802.

  4. Wang, Y, Li, Y., Bock, T., Lynch, J.P., and Mattila, J. (2017). “Introduction to the focused section on intelligent robotics for civil infrastructure,” International Journal of Intelligent Robotics and Applications, 1(3), 239-242.​

  5. Myung, H., Wang, Y., Kang, S.-C., and Chen, X. (2014). “Survey on robotics and automation technologies for civil infrastructure,” Smart Structures and Systems, 13(6): 891-899.

  6. Myung, H., Jeon, H., Bang, Y.-S., and Wang, Y. (2014). “Robotic sensing for assessing and monitoring civil infrastructures,” Sensor Technologies for Civil Infrastructures, Volume 1: Sensing Hardware and Data Collection Methods for Performance Assessment (Ed. Wang, M.L., Lynch, J.P., and Sohn, H.), Woodhead Publishing, Cambridge, U.K. 

  7. Li, Y., Wang, Y., Chase, J.G., Mattila, J., Myung, H. and Sawodny, O. (2013). “Survey and introduction to the focused section on mechatronics for sustainable and resilient civil infrastructure,” Mechatronics, IEEE/ASME Transactions on, 18(6): 1637-1646.

  8. Zhu, D., Guo, J., Cho, C., Wang, Y. and Lee, K.M. (2012). “Wireless mobile sensor network for the system identification of a space frame bridge,” Mechatronics, IEEE/ASME Transactions on, 17(3): 499-507.

  9. Guo, J., Lee, K.-M., Zhu, D., Yi, X., and Wang, Y. (2012). “Large-deformation analysis and experimental validation of a flexure-based mobile sensor node,” Mechatronics, IEEE/ASME Transactions on, 17(4): 606 – 616.

  10. Zhu, D., Fang, C.-H., Guo, J., Cho, C., Wang, Y. and Lee, K. (2012). “Finite element model updating of a steel pedestrian bridge with wireless and mobile sensors,” Proceedings of SPIE, Sensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems, San Diego, CA, March 11 – 15, 2012.

  11. Zhu, D., Guo, J., Wang, Y. and Lee, K.-M. (2011). “Field validation of flexure-based mobile sensing nodes on a space frame bridge,” Proceedings of the 8th International Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring, Stanford, CA, USA, September 13 – 15, 2011.

  12. Zhu, D., Guo, J., Yi, X., Wang, Y. and Lee, K.-M. (2011). “A flexure-based mobile sensing node for the health monitoring of steel structures,” Proceedings of the 2011 NSF CMMI Research and Innovation Conference, Atlanta, GA, USA, January 4-7, 2011.

  13. Zhu, D., Yi, X., Wang, Y. and Sabra, K. (2010). “Structural damage detection through cross correlation analysis of mobile sensing data,” Proceedings of the 5th World Conference on Structural Control and Monitoring, Tokyo, Japan, July 12 – 14, 2010.

  14. Yi, X., Zhu, D., Wang, Y., Guo, J. and Lee, K.-M. (2010). “Transmissibility-function-based structural damage detection with tetherless mobile sensors,” Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Bridge Maintenance, Safety and Management, Philadelphia, PA, USA, July 11 – 15, 2010.

  15. Zhu, D., Yi, X., Wang, Y., Guo, J. and Lee, K.-M. (2010). “Mobile sensor networks: a new approach for structural health monitoring,” Proceedings of the 2010 Structures Congress and 19th Analysis and Computation Specialty Conference, Orlando, FL, USA, May 12 – 15, 2010.

  16. Yi, X, Zhu, D., Wang, Y., Guo, J., and Lee, K.-M. (2010). “Embedded transmissibility function analysis for damage detection in a mobile sensor network,” Proceedings of SPIE, Sensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems 2010, 7647: 764729, San Diego, CA, March 8, 2010.

  17. Zhu, D., Yi, X., Wang, Y., Lee, K.-M. and Guo, J. (2010). “A mobile sensing system for structural health monitoring: design and validation,” Smart Materials and Structures, 19(5): 055011.

  18. Guo, J., Lee, K.-M., Zhu, D. and Wang, Y. (2009). “A flexonic magnetic car for ferro-structural health monitoring,” Proceedings of 2009 ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Conference, Hollywood, CA, USA, October 12-14, 2009.

  19. Lee, K.-M., Wang, Y., Zhu, D., Guo, J. and Yi, X. (2009). “Flexure-based mechatronic mobile sensors for structure damage detection,” Proceedings of the 7th International Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring, Stanford, CA, September 9 – 11, 2009.

  20. Zhu, D., Qi, Q., Wang, Y., Lee, K.-M. and Foong, S. (2009). “A prototype mobile wireless sensor network for structural health monitoring,” Proceedings of SPIE, Nondestructive Characterization for Composite Materials, Aerospace Engineering, Civil Infrastructure, and Homeland Security 2009, 7294: San Diego, CA, March 8 – 12, 2009.