Methods, systems, and computer readable media for wireless crack detection and monitoring

A method for wireless crack detection and monitoring, the method comprising:

• attaching a plurality of crack detectors to a plurality of different user-selected locations likely to experience cracks on a surface of a pre-existing structure in its operational environment;
• attaching motes to the surface of the material of the pre-existing structure in its operational environment, wherein each of the motes is paired with at least one of the crack detectors;
• detecting, by individually using the crack detectors, cracks in the material at the user-selected location;
• generating a crack indicator, indicating the existence of the crack, wherein each crack detector comprises a single sensor configured to generate, by itself, a crack indicator in response to formation of a crack, at its respective location and wherein the crack detectors collectively form a sensor network;
• and
• wirelessly communicating, using the motes, the crack indicators to a remote device indicating the presence of a crack at the location of the corresponding crack detector.

A method for adhering a crack detector and mote to the surface of a material, the method comprising:

• cleaning a surface of a material of a pre-existing structure to be monitored for cracks;
• bonding a plurality of crack detectors to a plurality of different user-selected locations likely to experience cracks on the surface of the material of the pre-existing structure in its operational environment, wherein the crack detectors collectively form a sensor network;
• bonding a plurality of motes associated with the crack detector to the surface of the material of the pre-existing structure in its operation environment, wherein each of the motes is paired with at least one of the crack detectors and wherein each mote is attached to the surface;
• applying a protective coating over the plurality of crack detectors and the plurality of motes;
• and
• detecting a crack in the material at the user-selected location by individually using the crack detector and wirelessly communicating an indication of the crack to an external device using the mote indicating the presence of a crack at the location of the corresponding crack detector.

A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions stored therein for causing a computer to perform steps comprising:

• attaching a plurality of crack detectors to a plurality of different user-selected locations likely to experience cracks on a surface of a pre-existing structure in its operational environment;
• attaching motes to the surface of the material of the pre-existing structure in its operational environment, wherein each of the motes is paired with at least one of the crack detectors;
• detecting, by individually using the crack detectors, cracks in the material at the user-selected location;
• generating, using the crack detector, a crack indicator, indicating the existence of the crack, wherein each crack detector comprises a single sensor configured to generate, by itself, a crack indicator in response to formation of a crack at its respective location and wherein the individual crack detectors form a sensor network;
• and
• wirelessly communicating, using the motes, the crack indicators to a remote device indicating the presence of a crack at the location of the corresponding crack detector.