Embedded Wireless Sensor Network for Aircraft/Automobile Tire Structural Health Monitoring

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of automobile tires has been an active area of research in the last few years. Within this area, the monitoring of strain on tires using wireless devices and networks is gaining prominence because these techniques do not require any wired connections. Various tire manufacturers are looking into SHM of automobile tires due to the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) act which demands installation of tire pressure monitoring devices within the tire. Besides measuring tire pressures, tire manufactures are also examining ways to measure strain and temperature as well to enhance overall safety of an automobile. A sensor system that can measure the overall strain of a tire is known as a centralized strain sensing system. However, a centralized strain sensing system cannot find the location and severity of the damage on the tire, which is a basic requirement. Various sensors such as acceleration and optical sensors have also been proposed to be used together to get more local damage information on the tire. In this thesis we have developed a strain sensing system that performs local strain measurements on the tire and transmits them to a console inside the vehicle wirelessly. Our sensing system utilizes a new sensing material called Metal RubberTM which is shown to be conductive like metal, and flexible as rubber. Also, we have also developed a reliable and an energy efficient geographic routing protocol for transporting strain data wirelessly from a tire surface to the driver of the automobile.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2007

Author dc:creator

• Gondal, Farrukh Mehmood

Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair

• Mishra, Amitabh
• Kapania, Rakesh K.

Committee member dc:contributor.committeemember

• Moffitt, Ronald D.

• Structural Health Monitoring (SHM)
• Tire Strain
• Wireless Sensor Network (WSN)
• Geographic Routing Protocol
• NesC
• TinyOS
• Resistive Strain Gauge

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-07282007-164207

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/34222