Evaluation of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) Techniques for Reclamation Infrastructures

Project ID: 4022
Principal Investigator: Bobbi Jo Merten
Research Topic: Improving Geotechnical Infrastructure Reliability
Funded Fiscal Years: 2013
Keywords: infrastructure reliability, infrastructure sustainability, structural health monitoring (shm), roadmap

Research Question

How can the Bureau of Reclamation utilize structural health monitoring (SHM) technologies to improve infrastructure maintenance practices, maximize usable life, and ensure the safe operation of its facilities? What kind of roadmap must be developed to initiate this research at the greatest cost efficiency?

Need and Benefit

A general infrastructure roadmap will create a starting point for identifying opportunities to research the implementation of SHM technologies and practices. Reclamation projects can be very large and are exposed to a variety of conditions including buried or immersed structures. Therefore, the uniqueness of the infrastructure requires the need to evaluate components, processes, and problems in which research funding provides great potential for maintenance cost reduction as well as extended infrastructural lifetimes.

Contributing Partners

Contact the Principal Investigator for information about partners.

Research Products

Bureau of Reclamation Review

The following documents were reviewed by experts in fields relating to this project's study and findings. The results were determined to be achieved using valid means.

Research Roadmapping Method Development & Pilot Study (final, PDF, 1.3MB)
By Dr. Daryl A. Little and Dr. Bobbi Jo Merten
Research Product completed on May 22, 2014

The roadmapping goal is to identify research gaps and determine where future research efforts should focus to provide the greatest benefit.

The first stage in this project was to develop a roadmapping approach. Reclamation's categorization of its mission critical assets: Dams, Canals, Pipelines, Powerplants, and Pumping Plants was adopted. An FY 13 pilot study of "Pipelines" tested the roadmapping method and led to improvements.

Future roadmapping products will appear under Project ID 151

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Last Updated: 6/22/20