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National Science Foundation Research Site in Sensors & Nondestructive Testing of FRP Composites: Infrastructure Applications
The multidisciplinary
research program at the Smart Sensors & NDT Laboratory is devoted
to developing sensors for monitoring the condition of structures during
the construction and throughout their service lives. This laboratory is
the site for the
Current research activities pertain to development of a variety of optical fiber, PZT, and MEMS based sensors, for monitoring of infrastructure including bridges, buildings, and dams. The laboratory specializes in the development of integrated fiber optic based sensing systems for structural materials, i.e. concrete, timber, steel, and fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. Optical fiber sensors provide the structure with self-monitoring capabilities for detection and measurement of excessive vibrations, cracks, deformations, strains, temperature differentials, corrosion, and loss of pre-stressing in post-tensioned structures. A variety of optical fiber sensors have been designed and used in structures all over the globe. The laboratory research approach is interdisciplinary in order to take advantage of technologies being developed in other disciplines of science and technology. The research team is composed of an interdisciplinary group of scientists and engineers. Civil engineering Ph.D. candidates perform their dissertation research in a group involving Post Doctoral research fellows in Physics, Opto-Electronics, and Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Professor
Farhad Ansari
Department of Civil & Materials
Engineering (MC 246)
University of Illinois at Chicago
842 W. Taylor St.
Chicago, Illinois 60564
Phone:
(312) 996-3428
Fax: (312) 996-2426
e-mail: fansari@uic.edu