Why civil engineers prefer interface products
Infrastructure is one of the most important industries in which Interface force measurement solutions are used. Our products are used in the design, construction and construction of public works projects such as roads, energy facilities, bridges, dams, airports, wastewater systems and pipelines.
Civil engineering is a professional discipline concerned with the planning, construction and maintenance of the physical and natural environment. It is the oldest engineering discipline after military engineering and was specifically defined to distinguish non-military engineering from military engineering.
Civil engineering is traditionally divided into several sub-disciplines, including environmental engineering, geotechnics, structural engineering, traffic engineering, municipal engineering, water management, materials engineering, coastal engineering, surveying and civil engineering.
Civil engineers choose interface sensors for component inspection and for embedding sensors in buildings, waterways and railways to ensure sustainable and safe construction, modification, improvement, repair and use.
Civil engineers' relationship with and use of force gauges is based on two things: testing designs and monitoring completed projects.
Load cells are used for testing purposes throughout the development of infrastructure projects. For example, load cells are used to test specific materials used in building construction to ensure they can withstand the required weights and environmental conditions. When designing a drawbridge, engineers use load cells to test the hydraulic system to ensure it can generate enough force to lift the bridge from once to thousands of times by conducting load tests.
The use of various sensors and measuring devices in construction has increased significantly in recent years. Sensor data from interface load cells is used in everything from rugged construction equipment for regulatory and safety monitoring to real-time quality monitoring of structures. One of the reasons for this is advances in sensor data monitoring and reporting. Access to the data has improved the ability to use it for complex calculations and to analyze enormous amounts of output information in real time. The result is improvements in design and overall engineering.
Remote access to data via Interface's digital gauges allows industry professionals to implement more practical solutions than were possible with some of the original designs. This has changed approaches to force measurement and load monitoring and enables robust calculations in structural and materials engineering. This functionality is why the construction industry relies on Interface for advanced products that deliver accurate, high quality and reliable performance.
The following video shows many of the products used in the infrastructure industry by civil engineers and the equipment used in the construction of their structures.
Force measurement is even used by civil engineers when testing construction equipment used in a variety of infrastructure projects. An example of this is Interface's delivery of a force measurement system to civil engineers to test the capabilities and capacity of a lift for safe use.
Overload control on aerial work platforms
A company that manufactures aerial work platforms wanted to test its self-propelled aerial work platform to ensure it could be used with heavy loads and at different angles. In addition, accidents should be prevented if the lift is overloaded to ensure the safety of all employees using it. Interface's solution was to attach the 3A3 160-axis load cell to the underside of the boom lift bucket. The 3A160 3-axis load cell provided highly accurate results that can be viewed in real time with the 920i programmable weight display and controller. The manufacturing company tested its aerial work platform and found that it could be operated safely when it reached its maximum load capacity.
Conversely, engineers are also incorporating force sensors into projects that allow them to monitor the effects of forces on specific infrastructure over time. An example of this is a project Interface was involved in that required monitoring of a bridge.
Solution for monitoring bridge forces during earthquakes
A client wanted to monitor seismic activity on a bridge using force sensors and continuously observe bridge forces before, during, and after an earthquake. The project engineers also preferred a wireless solution to avoid running long cables across the bridge. By using Interface's LP Load Pin, specifically designed for the project's requirements, and the Interface Inc. WTS Wireless Telemetry System, continuous force monitoring without long cables was achieved. This allowed the engineers to monitor the ongoing loads, log the data in the cloud, and review the information to ensure the bridge would withstand constant seismic activity over time. It also enabled the engineers to determine when and where repairs were needed.