A new computational model developed by researchers at MIT takes ambient vibrations and analyzes them to pick out features in the noise to give indications of a building’s stability, MIT News reports. The feedback can then be used to monitor the building for damage or mechanical stress. Think of it as getting your blood pressure or cholesterol checked regularly to find warning signs of future problems before they become too dire.
The model is being tested on the tallest building on the MIT campus, the 21-story Green Building, a research building made of reinforced concrete. The researchers attached 36 accelerometers to selected floors from the building’s foundation to its roof to record vibrations.
But in order for these recordings to actually serve a purpose, the team needed to figure out how to take the data and link it to the health characteristics of the building, according to Oral Buyukozturk, a professor in MIT’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Their solution was to create a computer simulation of the Green Building as a finite element model. MIT News describes this type of model as “a numerical simulation that represents a large physical structure, and all its underlying physics, as a collection of smaller, simpler subdivisions.” The researchers then added parameters to the model, such as the strength and density of concrete walls, slabs, beams, and stairs in each floor.
With all of this done, the researchers are able to then add something like the vibration caused by a passing truck to the simulation in order to see how the model predicts the building and its elements would respond. To make the model as accurate as possible, data from the Green Building's accelerometers was mined and analyzed for key features relating to the building’s stiffness and other indicators of health.
The more data that is added over time, the more intelligent the system becomes. The researchers say they are confident that any real life damage in the building will show up in the system.
This type of model will be especially useful to immediately see, after an event such as an earthquake, if and where there is damage to the building.
The researchers’ vision is for a system such as this to be outfitted on all tall buildings, making them intelligent enough to monitor their own health and provide increased resiliency.
Related Stories
| Apr 20, 2012
Registration open for Solar Power International 2012 in Orlando
President Bill Clinton to deliver keynote address at ?largest solar energy event in the Americas.
| Apr 19, 2012
HBD Construction names Steven Meeks vice president
Meeks will provide expertise for the company in its many diverse areas of construction projects including health care, senior living, education and retail.
| Apr 18, 2012
Positive conditions persist for Architecture Billings Index
The AIA reported the March ABI score was 50.4, following a mark of 51.0 in February; greatest demand is for commercial building projects.
| Apr 17, 2012
Princeton Review releases “Guide to 322 Green Colleges”
The guide profiles 322 institutions of higher education in the U.S. and Canada that demonstrate notable commitments to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation.
| Apr 17, 2012
FMI report examines federal construction trends
Given the rapid transformations occurring in the federal construction sector, FMI examines the key forces accelerating these changes, as well as their effect on the industry.
| Apr 16, 2012
University of Michigan study seeks to create efficient building design
The result, the researchers say, could be technologies capable of cutting the carbon footprint created by the huge power demands buildings place on the nation’s electrical grid.
| Apr 16, 2012
Batson-Cook breaks ground on senior living center in Brunswick, Ga.
Marks the third Benton House project constructed by Batson-Cook.
| Apr 16, 2012
Drake joins EYP as science and technology project executive
Drake’s more than 30 years of diversified design and project delivery experience spans a broad range of complex building types.
| Apr 16, 2012
$80 million in export financing for solar project in India
The project, “Rajasthan Sun Technique Energy Private Limited,” is a subsidiary of Reliance Power and is being co-financed by the Asian Development Bank and FMO, the Dutch development bank.
| Apr 13, 2012
Best Commercial Modular Buildings Recognized
Judges scored building entries on a number of criteria including architectural excellence, technical innovation, cost effectiveness, energy efficiency, and calendar days to complete, while marketing pieces were judged on strategy, implementation, and quantifiable results. Read More
