Infrastructure Health Monitoring Laboratory

Health Monitoring Laboratory at CIE was established in March 2013. The Laboratory has been equipped with modern sensor technology systems, and setup for microwave and millimetre wave material characterisation, nondestructive testing and evaluation of composite structures (for local structural health monitoring), and the development of new microwave sensors and antennas.

Sensor Technology facilities and scope include:

  • A novel microwave imaging system that integrates the Agilent performance network analyzer operating from 100 MHz – 50 GHz and an automated scan mechanism to generate images of composite materials and structures for the purpose of nondestructive evaluation of their integrity.

Automated Scan Mechanism

An automated scan mechanism for the microwave imaging system

  • A novel microwave imaging system that integrates an Agilent performance network analyzer operating from 100 MHz – 50 GHz, and an automated multifunctional scanner to generate images of composite materials and structures for nondestructive testing and evaluation of their integrity.
  • A material characterisation system providing the determination of dielectric constant of materials, including construction materials such as cementbased materials (at several stages of their life) and their ingredients using an Agilent PNA, microwave sensors and antennas, and commercial and custom-made software.

Material Characterisation

A material characterisation system and a sensor/antenna measurement setup

  • Ultra Wide Band (UWB) smart sensor system based on Time Domain PulsON 440 radios for two-way ranging and location identification (e.g in Smart Home applications).
  • A sensor and antenna measurement setup for testing existing and novel microwave sensors and antennas for material characterisation and structural health monitoring. This setup includes the Agilent PNA and an Agilent signal analyser capable of operating up to 40 GHz.

Piezoelectric-based sensor

Piezoelectric-based sensor setup

Please direct any infrastructure health monitoring enquiries to:

Dr Ranjith Liyanapathirana

Email: R.Liyanapathirana@westernsydney.edu.au