Final Report Summary - INSYSM (Intelligent Systems for Structures Strengthening and Monitoring) About 30% of European citizens are concentrated in 500 largest cities of the continent. Most of these cities are now subjected, or will be in the near future, to significant modification of their urban texture, brought about by the exploitation of new areas and by redevelopment of old industrial sites or the construction of big and pervasive infrastructure.Urban areas modernization and natural calamities (floods, earthquakes, etc.) bring the change of the work conditions of urban infrastructure – in many cases historical buildings. The consequence of this change is the necessity of strengthening them. It has been observed, that traditional methods of strengthening buildings subjected to complex load layout do not always act in most effective way, oppositely, sometimes they have caused hazardous situations. INSYSM project offers new look into these problems, combining aspect of strengthening with sustained monitoring.Within this project the objectives are twofold, on the one side Insysm Handbook and on the other self-monitoring smart textile for structural strengthening.The Insysm Handbook was created in the form of the toolbox of the procedures for retrofitting, strengthening, real time monitoring and maintenance of structures, specifically those impacted by complex situation of loads (i.e. seismic, paraseismic, mining deformations of subsoil, floods, transport, etc.). The toolbox focused on innovative techniques of structural upgrade with fibre-reinforced materials. It adapted the form of a handbook including description of reasons of structural damages, material properties, design methodology together with structural design procedures and examples, technological procedures for strengthening applications with examples, requirements and practical tips as well as methods of control. Both handbook and additional materials providing explanations are available to download at the project website. Elaborated during project realization it was meant to meet the needs of structural engineering in field of strengthening and monitoring existing structures. Performed tests on different type of structural elements, including concrete, timber and masonry structures, allowed to prepare credible tool for structural monitoring being at the same time structural strengthening itself. INSYSM team analysed many different aspects for this structurally verified solution: measurements of various important factors, as for example temperature and humidity, WiFi transfer of data, including transfer through massive concrete blocks, textile antennas and energy harvesting. Calibrating works will be still continued after project’s termination. At the end of the project INSYSM consortium registered first patent for the prototype of smart strengthening. INSYSM project creates innovative strengthening and sensing technologies based on the textile industry experiences. Strengthening equipped with monitoring system enables very powerful advantages. During all of the work phases collected measurements can picture performance of a whole structure, which can be used for continuous observation of the building and shall allow to master the strengthening solutions due to building real life work, also during accidental situations like floods, earthquakes etc. Economical crisis in Europe of last years brought also another important value to this solution – it provides an option for relatively cheap monitoring and strengthening for existing seriously deteriorated large structures, especially bridges vs expensive diagnosing or construction of new structure.The works started with INSYSM will be continued, developed and disseminated by all the partners of the consortium. The idea of smart textiles, strengthening and monitoring structures draw attention of several universities, institutions and enterprises in different countries also outside EU. INSYSM website: insysm.polsl.plContact to INSYSM Coordinator: marcin.gorski@polsl.pl
