Description and objectives

The project aims to explore new technologies designed to improve the efficiency and reduce the costs of infrastructure health monitoring systems.

In particular, the project involves the use of a ground-based Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) radar and video image processing approaches for the direct assessment of displacements, within the broader framework of the digital transition in civil engineering.

The monitoring technologies proposed in the project differ from conventional systems—typically based on accelerometers—by offering a potentially more efficient and cost-effective alternative, thanks to their contactless operation, which eliminates the need for costly cabling and sensor installation activities. The MIMO radar stands out for its ability to simultaneously monitor numerous points of a structure with high accuracy, under all environmental and lighting conditions.

Conversely, image processing techniques enable the measurement of structural displacements with lower accuracy but at significantly lower cost. The project includes:

a) the development of algorithms for the management and processing of radar and video image data;
b) laboratory prototype testing and full-scale infrastructure experimentation of the two proposed technologies;
c) the application of data fusion techniques based on the Kalman filter to integrate information acquired from different types of sensors.