An integrated system and method for measuring deformations and/or stresses in one-dimensional elements
AssigneePolitecnico Di Torino
InventorFrancesco TONDOLO
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An integrated measuring system (9) comprises a structural element (10) for building constructions, having an internal cavity (14), hermetically closed to contain a compressible fluid (16), and a measuring system (12) for measuring stresses and/or deformations on the structural element (10), measuring system (12) whereby it is possible to measure the pressure and temperature of the fluid (16) so as to measure a change in fluid pressure and determine a variation of the volume of the cavity (14) resulting from an action (F) imparted to the structural element (10).
Claims15
Integrated measuring system (9), comprising:
- a structural element (10), adapted to be incorporated in a building construction and elongated in a longitudinal direction, said structural element (10) having an internal cavity (14) hermetically closed or closable by means of closure means (20), said internal cavity (14) being filled with a compressible fluid (16);
- a measurement system (12), adapted to measure deformations and/or stresses on the structural element (10) along said longitudinal direction, the system comprising a pressure measuring device (18) in contact with the fluid in the internal cavity (14), said measurement system (12) further comprising a device for measuring the temperature of the fluid (16) and/or the temperature of the inner wall of the cavity (14), in such a way that the system is able to determine a volume variation of the cavity (14) by measuring a pressure and temperature variation of the fluid resulting from an action (F) imparted to the structural element (10),
- wherein the cavity (14) extends along a direction substantially perpendicular with respect to said longitudinal direction.
A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the compressible fluid (16) is a gas or a liquid/gas mixture.
A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure measuring device (18) is immersed in the fluid (16).
A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the closing means (20) are configured so as to allow the connection between the devices measuring pressure and/or temperature (18) with a power and/or data transfer system (22), adapted to power said devices (18) and/or to communicate the data collected within the cavity (14).
A system according to any one of the preceding claims, in which a radially outer projection (24) is associated to the structural element (10) and is placed at the cross-section of the structural element (10) on which the cavity (14) lies, said projection having a cross-section having an area substantially equivalent to the area of the cross-section of said cavity (14).
A system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the structural element (10) is a metallic bar for reinforced concrete.
Method for measuring deformations and/or stresses along a longitudinal direction of a structural element (10) elongated in the longitudinal direction, said structural element (10) being adapted to be incorporated in a building construction and being subjectable to an action F, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing at least one cavity (14) internal to the structural element (10), oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular with respect to a central longitudinal axis (11) of the structural element (10);
- b) filling the cavity (14) with a compressible fluid (16) and sealing the cavity (14) by means of closing means (20);
- c) associating a measurement system (12) to the cavity (14), said measuring system (12) comprising a measuring device (18) of the pressure of the fluid (16), and a device for measuring the temperature of the fluid (16) and/or the temperature of the inner wall of the cavity (14);
- d) measuring the pressure and temperature variations of the fluid (16), determining a variation of volume of the cavity (14), and establishing a relationship between said volume variation and a longitudinal deformation of the structural element (10).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.