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Title: Smart Structures with Fibre-Optic Technologies

Journal Article · · AIP Conference Proceedings
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2963792· OSTI ID:21148938
 [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Genoa, Via Montallegro 1, 16145 Genova (Italy)
  2. D'Appolonia S.p.A., Via San Nazaro 19, Genova (Italy)

A number of smart structures have been proposed, and some of them realized, to reduce the effect that seismic motions induce on the structure themselves. In particular, active and semi-active control devices have been studied for being applied to buildings and bridges in seismic prone regions. The heart of the application for these devices consists of a network of sensors and computational nodes that produces the input to the actuating mechanisms. Despite the initial enthusiasm for these developments, only a few practical applications involving active devices have been implemented to-date, the main reason residing in questions concerning the reliability of active systems over time. Nevertheless, the allocation of sensory systems and computational intelligence in structures subjected to earthquakes can provide very important information on the real structural behavior, provide self-diagnosis functions after events, and allow for reliability estimates of critical components. The paper reviews several recently developed sensory devices and diagnostic algorithms that may be applied to existing structures or embedded in new ones for the above purpose. Special emphasis will be given to fibre optic technology and its applications.

OSTI ID:
21148938
Journal Information:
AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1020, Issue 1; Conference: 2008 seismic engineering conference: Commemorating the 1908 Messina and Reggio Calabria earthquake, Reggio Calabria (Italy), 8-11 Jul 2008; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2963792; (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English