Smart-sensing systems for integrity assessment of inaccessible assets

A system for assessing a status of an inaccessible asset, the system comprising:

• a smart-sensing radio frequency identification (RFID) patch including an integrated circuit, an antenna, and one or more micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors arranged on a flexible substrate, the smart-sensing RFID patch coupled to an inaccessible asset;
• and
• a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) trolley including:
• a conveyance means for traversing a ground in the vicinity of an inaccessible asset;
• a GPR emitter operable to emit a high-power signal receivable by the smart-sensing RFID patch;
• and
• a GPR receiver operable to receive a backscattering signal emitted by the smart-sensing RFID patch and including signals indicating the status of the inaccessible asset.

A method for assessing a status of an inaccessible asset, the method comprising:

• conveying, via a conveyance means, a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) trolley along a ground surface in the vicinity of the inaccessible asset;
• emitting, via a GPR emitter of the GPR trolley, a high-power signal towards the inaccessible asset and a smart-sensing radio frequency identification (RFID) patch mounted thereon;
• transforming, via an integrated circuit and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors of the smart-sensing RFID patch, the high-power signal to include signals of the MEMS sensors denoting the status of the inaccessible asset;
• emitting, via the smart-sensing RFID patch, a backscattering signal including the signals of the MEMS sensors towards the GPR trolley;
• receiving, via a GPR receiver of the GPR trolley, the backscattering signal including the signals of the MEMS sensors denoting the status of the inaccessible asset;
• and
• analyzing, via a computing device, the backscattering signal received by the GPR receiver to extract the status of the inaccessible asset from the backscattering signal.