INNOVATION September-October 2022

F E A T U R E

O ver time, a bridge’s integrity can become scour—the carving out of scour holes caused by fast-flowing water—can compromise the integrity of a structure and is the leading cause of bridge failure. The 2021 floods were a stark and grim reminder of infrastructure’s vulnerability. But Dr. Nemy Banthia, P.Eng., professor of civil engineering at UBC and Mohammed Farooq, EIT, UBC doctoral student, were already developing a sensor network to detect early stages of bridge foundation compromises by measuring soil density and levels. SENSOR NETWORK COMPONENTS The sensor network they developed consists primarily of off-the-shelf parts, such as repurposed sensors. They also employ purpose-built prototypes, developed in the UBC lab, compromised by stationary forces (e.g., weight, materials, etc.) or moving forces (e.g., vehicles, wind, water, etc.). Bridge scour—the removal of sediment such as sand and gravel from around bridge abutments or piers—and hydrodynamic

P hoto : M inistry of T ransportation and I nfrastructure ( flickr . com / photos / tranbc )

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