Sensor-Enabled Geogrid Monitoring for Pavement Substructure Alerts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for monitoring the health and condition of pavement and vehicular infrastructure are limited by the need for manual visual inspection, which is time-consuming, subjective, and often detects damage only after it has occurred, and do not provide accurate data on substructure conditions.
Innovation Solution
A sensor-enabled geogrid system is installed beneath the surface course, equipped with sensors to monitor parameters like strain, temperature, and moisture, connected to a microcontroller and communication interface, which evaluates data against thresholds and generates alerts for infrastructure maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If visual inspection methods are used to assess pavement infrastructure health, then personnel can identify surface conditions, but the inspection is time-consuming, subjective, and cannot detect substructure damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection with an automated sensor system that uses strain gauges, temperature sensors, and moisture sensors to objectively measure infrastructure health parameters. This substitution eliminates human subjectivity and provides precise, quantifiable data about both surface and substructure conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sensors as intermediary devices that act as mediators between the infrastructure and the inspection process. These sensors continuously monitor strain, temperature, and moisture conditions, providing real-time data that bridges the gap between surface observations and substructure health assessment.
2Reliability
If visual inspection is performed manually, then infrastructure conditions can be assessed, but human error and subjectivity affect the evaluation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-monitoring system where the sensors automatically detect, record, and transmit infrastructure health data without requiring human intervention. The system serves itself by continuously monitoring conditions and alerting when thresholds are exceeded, eliminating human error while maintaining manageable complexity through automated processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes a feedback loop where sensor data is continuously monitored, compared against predefined thresholds, and used to trigger alerts or notifications. This automated feedback mechanism ensures reliable detection of deteriorating conditions while reducing the complexity of manual evaluation processes.
3Measurement precision
If sensors are installed in existing infrastructure, then accurate monitoring data can be obtained, but the installation is difficult and requires removal of existing materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates sensors during the initial construction or renovation phases of infrastructure projects, before the structure is completed and put into service. This preliminary installation approach ensures accurate monitoring data can be obtained while avoiding the difficulty of installing sensors in existing, operational infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the sensor installation process into modular segments that can be independently installed and configured. This segmentation allows for easier installation by enabling partial deployment and simplifying the overall installation process, particularly when working with existing infrastructure components.
4Productivity
If continuous monitoring is implemented, then proactive maintenance can be achieved, but the system requires ongoing energy consumption and data processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic monitoring at critical intervals and triggers continuous monitoring only when anomalies are detected or thresholds are approached. This periodic action approach maintains productivity benefits while significantly reducing overall energy consumption compared to continuous operation, as the system can enter low-power states during normal conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are various embodiments that relate to a pavement infrastructure intelligence system including pavement infrastructure having a surface course and a substructure layer, and a sensor-enabled geosynthetic layer disposed within the substructure layer and beneath the surface course. The geosynthetic layer comprises a geogrid or geofabric carrying sensors configured to generate signals indicative of at least one substructure parameter. An edge device including a microcontroller is connected to the sensors and is operatively coupled via a communication interface to a computing network to transmit derived data. An infrastructure processing engine on the network evaluates the at least one parameter against threshold values and generates an alert when the at least one parameter exceeds a threshold.