Infrastructure Monitoring with a Modular Acoustic Emission System: COMOBASE 3

The monitoring of critical infrastructure such as tunnels, dams and pipelines is becoming increasingly important. These structures are essential for supply security, mobility and day-to-day life. Their failure can have serious economic and social consequences. One striking example is the collapse of the Carolabrücke, a bridge in Dresden. This demonstrated the scale of the risks posed by undetected material damage or structural weaknesses.

An innovative method for early damage detection is monitoring using low-frequency ultrasonics and acoustic emissions. Stress and crack-formation processes within materials are captured by recording the sound emissions they produce, continuously monitored by highly sensitive sensors. This allows early warning of critical conditions, extends the service life of structures, and enables condition-based maintenance rather than relying on fixed inspection intervals.

The platform COMOBASE^® 3 was developed specifically for infrastructure monitoring. In addition to bridges, this technology is also used for monitoring wind turbines and pressure vessels in the energy and chemical industries.

Technical specifications

The system is based on the PCUS^® technology developed at Fraunhofer IKTS. It consists of modular measurement and interface cards for connecting sensors. A base system processes 32 channels in parallel. The system can be controlled via customer-specific testing software using the supplied SDK.

• 32 synchronous channels for active and passive ultrasonic measurements with guided waves
• Frequency range: 1 kHz to 5 MHz
• Sampling rate: 20 MS/s with 16-bit resolution
• Parallel acquisition of operating parameters and environmental data
• Expandable up to 128 channels
• Exclusive trigger options for event localization
• Optional: active ultrasonic excitation with integrated line amplifier up to 150 Vpp
• Modular, customizable design
• USB 3.0 interface
• Standard 19” form factor

The multi-channel COMOBASE^® 3 system makes an important contribution to structural health monitoring by providing measurement technology that is fast, precise and flexible, as well as being cost-effective compared with competing systems.