Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTSFraunhofer IKTS develops sensor and electronic systems for monitoring, securing, and assessing the condition of critical infrastructures. The aim is to increase the operational safety, availability, and protectability of stationary and mobile systems.
Infrastructure and monitoring
Topic
Sensor detection and environmental monitoring
- Compact sensor and radar technology (MMIC packaging, radar/HF components) for tactical situation detection
- Acoustic emission measurements on bridges, tension wires, and critical structures
Optical and acoustic monitoring systems
- Monitoring of underwater cables and supply networks (optical fiber sensor technology)
- Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) for detecting strains and acoustic events
- Laser speckle photometry for detecting concealed movements or manipulations
Condition monitoring of underwater structures: Sensor ring for monitoring weld seams on offshore foundation structures.
Robot controlled non-destructive high-frequency eddy current testing of carbon fiber composite materials by EddyCus® testing system.
In which areas of application are ceramic systems used in infrastructure and monitoring?
- Condition monitoring of critical infrastructure (bridges, pipelines, submarine cables)
- Early detection of damage to building and supporting structures
- Protection of stationary installations against manipulation and sabotage
- Real-time monitoring of energy and communication networks
References
- CoMoBase3 – acoustic condition monitoring for infrastructure applications
- PoCaMo – optical fiber sensor technology for monitoring submarine cables
- AcoustoSense – distributed acoustic sensing for underwater and network monitoring
- Characterization of ceramic matrix materials