According to the 2017 Infrastructure Report Card, the U.S. has 614,387 bridges, almost four in 10 of which are 50 years or older. A team at the University of Nevada has created an autonomous robot design that can check bridges for deterioration of their steel, such as that caused by corrosion. The researchers have been working on a new type of bridge design, called “bridgeable bridges,” which are designed to be made from lightweight materials and engineered with advanced materials. The robots could also help reduce human error. The wheeled robot uses ground-penetrating radar and electrical resistivity sensors, as well as a camera, to determine if any steel has suffered damage.
A team at the University of Nevada has created an autonomous robot design that can check bridges for deterioration of their steel, such as that caused by corrosion. The researchers have been working on a new type of bridge design, called “bridgeable bridges,” which are designed to be made from lightweight materials and engineered with advanced materials. The robots could also help reduce human error. The wheeled robot uses ground-penetrating radar and electrical resistivity sensors, as well as a camera, to determine if any steel has suffered damage.