Abstract

Until recently structural monitoring, even when done wirelessly, has relied on relatively few data points to give us a complete picture of very complex systems. This has led to not unexpectedly poor results in terms of structural assessment. However, the advent of distributed sensor technologies, such as digital image correlation and fibre optic sensors, has meant that much more robust and comprehensive data sets can be acquired. This talk will illustrate the potential uses of such sensor systems for both design and assessment through three case studies: a culvert, a rail-foundation system, and a reinforced concrete structure.

Biography: Neil Hoult is an Associate Professor and Acting Head of the Department of Civil Engineering at Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada. He did his BASc and MASc at the University of Toronto, and his PhD under the supervision of Professor Lees at Cambridge. After a post-doc under the supervision of Professor Middleton he started at Queen’s in 2009. His research interests include structural monitoring, reinforced concrete structures, buried infrastructure.