Utilising Wireless Remote Monitoring Solutions to Enhance Safety in Construction

The role of technology in the evolution of the construction industry cannot be disputed. For example, the use of BIM or remote machine control, would not be possible without the advancement and use of technological innovation within the construction world. The cost of land, health and safety, building legislation and even architectural fashions have all had a huge impact on the structures we see on our skyline today. Technology has provided the tools to allow this advancement, from concrete technology to the development of composite building materials, and from advanced survey techniques to automated monitoring. Buildings constructed today would have been beyond comprehension 100 years ago which is largely down to technological development which has accelerated in the past 5-10 years.

The adoption of remote UAVs and drones, 3D modelling, easy to use and high-precision mobile scanning, and even Augmented Reality (AR) have allowed us to visualise and fully understand how new structures will interact with existing assets. In turn, this has helped to improve efficiency and streamlining of planning, design and development within construction.

The United States is one of the largest construction markets in the world. With expenditures reaching over $1,293 billion USD, there are very few countries that can rival the US’ construction industry. With that said, the US is not without its challenges. On top of skilled labour shortages and environmental impacts, safety is still a significant concern. There are increasing levels of federal and local or public pressure being placed on the US construction industry when it comes to on-site accidents, and improving safety practices It rightly remains one of the highest priorities to ensure staff safety on or near-site. It is also very clear that whilst proper management and procedures are critical to establishing the right environment in the first instance, technology can play a greater role in making people and sites safer.

Intelligent Monitoring Solutions

One key theme in aiding safety and reducing risk within construction, comes through the use of any technology that allows remote management or control of assets that are potentially hazardous. For example, wireless technology has a major part to play in the monitoring and management of any fixed asset to avoid people needing to go to site in the first place. Wireless Intelligent Monitoring Solutions (IMS), takes the use of remote monitoring solutions to aid decision making in the world of monitoring assets, to a whole new level.

IMS is now regarded as paramount in enabling rapid decision making and enhancing predictions to support immediate identification of early signs of structural and geotechnical failure and fatigue.

It is possible only now as it brings together significant developments in the three key enabling areas of wireless, smart sensors and the gateway to the outside world.

Sensors placed on construction related assets, have traditionally been functionally simple devices, often wired, that convert physical variables into electrical signals or changes in electrical properties. While this functionality is an essential starting point, smart sensors/intelligent sensing adds the following properties to perform as Internet of Things (IoT) components:

• Cost effective, to be economically deployed in large numbers
• Physically small, unobtrusive in any environment where possible
• Wireless, for versatility
• Sensor nodes need to be able to talk continuously to each other
• Self-identification and self-validation
• Very low power draw plus smart algorithms, so can survive for years without a battery change

Senceive offers the world’s most reliable and robust wireless Remote Condition Monitoring solutions for geotechnical and structural monitoring applications in the rail, construction, mining, utilities and infrastructure sectors.