Intelligent Structural Health Management of Aerospace, Mechanical and Civil Structures

When I was first asked to write a Blog about my recent trip to India with the PIRE-ISHM project, I have to admit, I balked. I’m not a “blogger”, I don’t keep journals, and I don’t believe in having friends on Facebook that I’m not actually friends with. Where do I even begin documenting this amazing experience online?

Well, I started at the beginning – what is a blog?

I have spent the last week at IIT- Madras working on the ISHM project. It has been a great opportunity to see how this university in India operates differently than those in the United States. I have been impressed by the lab facilities and equipment that is available to conduct research here.

While in India two projects have been initiated and work distribution has been established. Working relationships with CNDE personnel has been established. Some possible future technical collaborations may include:
Eddytherm Infrared Inspection System
Nonlinear acoustics

Check the condition and last inspection dates of more than 100,000 bridges in the United States using an interactive format courtesy of msnbc’s “Bridge Tracker”.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21840954

An overhead cantilever type highway sign collapsed in Tennessee. Prolonged wind loading from passing tractor trailers is suspected to have cause metal fatigue on the main support. TDOT is currently investigating cause. See full story at:
http://www.wsmv.com/news/16813368/detail.html?rss=nash&psp=news

ASNT will be having their annual “NDE/NDT for Highways and Bridges: Structural Materials Technology” conference on September 8-12, 2008 in Oakland California. There will be a session devoted to SHM. Guest keynote speaker will be Ed Generazio from NASA. More details of the meeting can be found at http://www.asnt.org/events/conferences/bridges08/bridges08.htm [link broken]

The next meeting of the Midwest Bridge Working Group will be held in Evanston, IL on June 17th and 18th, 2008.
See their website for details. http://www.midwestbridge.org/

I would like to welcome all program partners to the new PIRE-ISHM website. Please feel free to direct any suggestions that would improve the website to b-regez@northwestern.edu .
Alternatively, you can post comments, criticisms, and suggestions concerning the website as a blog to get others input.
I look forward to working with you all!

There will be a special session on Structural Health Monitoring at the 35th Annual Review of Progress in Quantitative NDE to be held in Chicago, July 20-25, 2008. If interested in participating in this session, please send abstracts through the website at http://www.cnde.iastate.edu/QNDE/QNDE.html. In the Other (or comments) category, please indicate "SHM session" so that the abstract will be appropriately flagged.
Fur further information, please contact me at s-krishnaswamy@northwestern.edu

The Kick-off meeting for the PIRE-ISHM project will be held at Nortwestern University on January 18, 2008. Please contact m-hilliard@northwestern.edu for more information