Open AccessAn Autonomous Wall Climbing Robot for Inspection of Reinforced Concrete Structures: SIRCAUR
Author(s) -
Gabriela Gallegos Garrido,
TP Sattar
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of artificial intelligence and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2766-8649
DOI - 10.37965/jait.2021.0016
Subject(s) - ground penetrating radar , climb , rebar , nondestructive testing , concrete cover , robot , delamination (geology) , structural engineering , engineering , magnet , reinforced concrete , radar , computer science , mechanical engineering , artificial intelligence , geology , aerospace engineering , medicine , paleontology , tectonics , subduction , radiology
A wall climbing inspection robot has been designed to climb on safety critical concrete structures by adhering to reinforcement steel bars (rebars) using permanent magnets to generate the adhesion forces. Simulation and experimental validation has been performed to determine the optimum flux focusing magnet configurations with the robot operating on 30 to 35mm of concrete cover over rebars arranged in different patterns. The goal of adhesion force optimization is to be able to carry a ground penetrating radar (GPR) sensor which detects rebar corrosion, concrete delamination and concrete cover deterioration. The autonomous robot uses an ultra-wide band (UWB) localisation system and GPR data to control its motion trajectories to avoid regions where there is insufficient density of rebars. Non-destructive testing (NDT) inspection data acquired by GPR is transmitted wirelessly to a ground station for processing and monitoring by NDT technicians.