During the 2nd period of the project (M19 – M46), the consortium partners developed, updated and released the components’ prototypes, namely the RPAS including all integrated sensors, the Photogrammetric and Cognitive Computer Vision System, the Mobility Continuity Module, the Structural Vulnerability Assessment tool, the Risk Assessment and Management System and the Cyber Security and communication module. All these components were integrated into the Esthesis Platform that was developed to serve as single point for infrastructure management and assessment, simplifying the parallel monitoring of all tools and allowing the operator to perform all necessary actions through one software. All RESIST components were tested and validated under real conditions in actual field tests that were performed in the pilot demonstrations that took place at T9 bridge in Greece and St. Petronilla tunnel and A32 highway in Italy.
In general, the validation of RESIST system was very successful with all components performing as expected and providing a secure and time-saving solution for the in-depth structural damage inspection and the communication among stakeholders. Based on the developed technology that was validated in the pilot demonstrations, RESIST achieved to perform full inspection of the claimed as damaged structures and successfully support road operators to assess the infrastructure stability and early identify necessary maintenance or restoration interventions. Comparing RESIST solution with conventional methods currently used for inspection purposes, it can be easily concluded that RESIST meets the needs of the road operation industry to upgrade their inspection productivity, efficiency, accuracy in order to check the structural and operational condition of their aging infrastructures objectively, seamlessly and quickly. The overall added value of RESIST system can be summarized in the following benefits:
• Unmanned visual inspection through RPAS
• Lower inspection costs
• Easy installation of wireless vibration sensors
• Reduction of destructive infrastructure test (concrete drills)
• Communication enhancement
• Cyber-security
• Improvement of predictive maintenance through high-quality diagnosis
• Integrated platform
With regards to exploitation of results, 16 Key Exploitable Results (KERs) were identified, namely:
• Framework for Techno-Economic, Environmental and Social Analyses
• Structural Vulnerability Module
• Aerial Robot with Sensor Suite for Bridge Inspection accompanied by the GCS system
• Aerial robot with manipulator for tunnel contact inspection including tunnel localization, navigation and control systems
• Photogrammetric Computer Vision System
• Cognitive Computer Vision System
• Ultrasonic Sensors for measurements of the depth of cracks
• Wireless vibration measurement module for structural monitoring
• Cyber Security Platform
• Resilient & Secure Communication System
• Mobility Continuity module, social interface tool, mobile application
• Methodology and Software for Safety and Security Risk Assessment
• RESIST Gateway and esthesis platform and API
• RESIST Integration Environment
• Inspection Process Monitoring (IPM) application
• RESIST solution (including all the components of RESIST backend and the components of the field)
