Monitoring system for concrete pilings and method of installation

• US 8,596,136 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2012
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Infrastructure LLC
• Original Assignee: Smart Structures, Inc.
• Inventors: Hecht, Kurt, Hecht, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS HOLLINGTON, OCTAVIA L
• Application Number:
  US13/346,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20120107056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 738/03
• US Class Current: 73/803
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 13/06 for observation while placing
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 33/00 Testing foundations or foundation structures testing methods and apparatus, see the relevant subclasses of class G01; testing structures or apparatus as regards function, in general, G01M; testing or determining chemical or physical properties, in general G01N
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 5/22 Piles sheet piles, i.e. elements shaped to mutually lock or mate E02D5/02; pile shoes E02D5/72; foundations on piles E02D27/12, E02D27/20
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 5/34 Concrete or concrete-like piles cast in position ; Apparatus for making same E02D5/50 takes precedence; moulds E02D5/665; placing, removing moulds E02D7/00 - E02D11/00; placing the concrete E02D15/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/021 Correlating sampling sites with geographical information, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00881 network configurations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2203/0664 using witness specimens
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/383 Concrete or cement
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00871 Communications between instruments or with remote terminals

Abstract

A system for tracking and monitoring data related to the manufacture, installation and/or life cycle of concrete structures, such as pilings, as well as related system components and methods for tracking, storing and accessing such data is provided. The system utilizes an embeddable antenna assembly as well as a sensor package that are installed in the concrete structure form before casting. The antenna provides wireless communication of the data from the structure. On board memory is also provided to store structure related data with the structure. A system for tracking a pile during driving is also provided, and life cycle monitoring is also provided.

Claims

1. A monitored piling adapted for connection to a networked monitoring node, comprising:

a plurality of reinforcements located in cast concrete;

a sensor package located in the concrete near a tip of the piling;

a transmitter near a top of the piling, the sensor package being connected to the transmitter via a wire or cable;

a tube extending at least partially between the sensor package and the transmitter near the top of the piling, the tube having an excess wire or cable reservoir, and the wire or cable extending through the tube;

an excess of the wire or cable in the reservoir that is adapted to be drawn up from the reservoir upon cutting off the top of the piling which includes the transmitter and cutting through the tube and the wire or cable; and

the excess of the wire or cable being adapted to be drawn from the reservoir to allow an external connection to the sensor.

2. The monitored piling of claim 1, further comprising conditioning electronics associated with the sensor package located at the piling tip that store sensor details and calibration information for the sensor package.

3. The monitored piling of claim 1, further comprising:

a monitoring node adapted to automatically identify a plurality of gauges with uniquely identified gauge types.

4. The monitored piling of claim 3, further comprising:

the monitoring node being adapted to self configure based on the gauges identified.

5. A monitoring system for the monitored piling of claim 4, further comprising:

the monitoring nodes of a plurality of the monitored pilings being connected to a larger network or network gateway that collects data from the gauges.

6. The monitoring system of claim 5, further comprising additional concrete structures with encapsulated sensors that are connected with additional network nodes.

7. The monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the larger network or network gateway is self-configuring for all of the connected monitored piling nodes in the pilings and the additional concrete structures.

8. The monitoring system of claim 7, further comprising a remote central repository for data from the sensors.

9. A structure or foundation including a monitoring system, comprising:

a monitored piling having a plurality of reinforcements located in cast concrete, a sensor package located in the concrete near a tip of the piling, a transmitter near a top of the piling, the sensor package being connected to the transmitter via a wire or cable, a tube extending near the top of the piling and holding an excess of wire or cable that extends through the tube, the excess of the wire or cable is adapted to be drawn from the tube upon cutting off the top of the piling which includes the transmitter and cutting through the tube and the wire or cable, and the excess of the wire or cable being adapted to be drawn out to allow an external connection to the sensor;

a networked monitoring node located in a capping structure or located in proximity to the piling connected to the wire or cable; and

a network that provides power and a connection for data transfer.

10. The structure or foundation including the monitoring system of claim 9, further comprising additional concrete structures with encapsulated sensors that are connected with additional network nodes.

11. The structure or foundation including the monitoring system of claim 9, wherein the nodes are interfaced using a network protocol.

12. The structure or foundation including the monitoring system of claim 11, the nodes are arranged in a peer-to-peer configuration.

13. The structure or foundation including the monitoring system of claim 9, further comprising a remote data storage repository configured to store all uploaded telemetry information from long term monitoring of the piling.

14. The structure or foundation including the monitoring system of claim 9, further comprising sensors for monitoring additional structures located on the cap, nodes connected to the sensors, with the nodes having self-adapting network capabilities.

15. The structure or foundation including the monitoring system of claim 9, further comprising a telemetry uplink adapted to provide data from a partially or completely integrated structure.

16. The structure or foundation including the monitoring system of claim 9, wherein the nodes are interfaced using a network protocol.

17. A structure or foundation including a monitoring system, comprising:

a concrete structure having a plurality of reinforcements located in cast concrete, a sensor package located in the concrete structure, a transmitter connected to the concrete structure, the sensor package being connected to the transmitter via a wire or cable, a tube extending through at least a part of the concrete structure and holding an excess of wire or cable that extends through the tube, the excess of the wire or cable is adapted to be drawn from the tube upon cutting through the tube and the wire or cable, and the excess of the wire or cable being adapted to be drawn out to allow an external connection to the sensor;

a networked monitoring node located on or in proximity to the concrete structure that is connected to the wire or cable; and

a network that provides power and a connection for data transfer.

18. The structure or foundation including the monitoring system of claim 17, further comprising additional concrete structures with encapsulated sensors that are connected with additional network nodes.