DMN Consulting

Introduction

     In the real world it is said around 80% of components fail due to fatigue. This failure is due to cyclical loading and can possibly be prevented with the monitoring of the components or structures exposure to this loading.  If failure is prevented it could result in saving money, time, and most importantly lives. For Instance a monitoring system could have prevented the deaths of 13 people and injuries of 145 in a bridge collapse in 2007 when part of the I-35W Mississippi River Bridge in Minnesota failed during rush hour due to fatigue.

    

     For these reasons there is currently a large need for a real time fatigue sensing system (R.T.F.S.S.) to monitor components under cyclical loading conditions.  A R.T.F.S.S. would allow the user to monitor when the fatigue has begun to significantly compromised the component and allow for a visual check that would allow the user to fix the problem before it became critical to the company or deadly to society.  Our group plans to create a prototype system with real time monitoring capabilities. 

Wentoworth Insitute of Technology, 550 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA