Energy savings in transportation: Setting up an innovative SHM method

Transportation systems are gradually changing. Innovative solutions are provided by automotive industries, construction firms, computer-aided pavement management systems, sensor-based structural health monitoring (SHM) systems, and international regulations. This calls for efforts and studies aiming at finding a trade-off between the ever-growing request of innovation (smart cities), and the never-ending depletion of resources and energy. Energy savings in road infrastructures can be pursued through: 1) construction process optimization; 2) traffic management improvement; 3) vehicle optimization; 4) recycling and reuse of construction materials; 5) innovative materials; 6) energy harvesting; 7) smart roads; 8) maintenance and rehabilitation optimization through SHM methods and technologies. The objective of the study is to set up an innovative SHM method aiming at achieving energy savings in transportation in terms of Pavement Management System (PMS) optimization. The new method here setup was implemented through an experimental investigation. A microphone was placed on different road pavements, impulse loads were produced by a Light weight Deflectometer, LWD, and vibro-acoustic signals were recorded and analyzed in the pursuit of assessing the structural condition of the pavement. Using this knowledge to improve the management process of transportation infrastructures, it is expected that safer, more resilient, and less energy-consuming assets will be provided.