Asset management 2.0, Guardian angel for concrete

One of the most promising projects of the euregio Rhine-Meuse-North is Asset Management 2.0. It involves the development of a sensor that monitors the condition of concrete structures such as bridges and buildings in real time.

The project partners include the municipality of Venlo, the province of Limburg and RWTH Aachen. Smart remote monitoring can save costs but also prevent accidents. At a time when construction and maintenance costs are being skimped on, a sensor integrated into the structure may offer a solution. "As soon as the system detects a harmful intrusion of moisture, it alerts a bridge manager or property owner: This allows those to act proactively," explains Andrija Blagojevic, Head of R&D at Concrefy B.V.

Data will soon make it possible to predict when an existing or new concrete structure needs maintenance. Time-consuming and often expensive periodic inspections will thus become largely unnecessary. "Many bridges in the Euroregion date from the 1950s. With a service life of around fifty years to 70 years, the end seems in sight. Smartly maintain or replace? Just as a dentist sees, when a cavity is imminent, our sensor can signal visible, but also invisible concrete corrosion, degeneration or reduced bearing capacity." Meanwhile, a prototype has been developed and work is in progress on a method to reliably translate the generated data into useful information and clear predictions. The goal is to roll out the sensor technology worldwide.

Featured image: Researcher Andrija Blagojevic with prototype sensor in hand and a sensor incorporated into concrete.