Application of a low-cost strain monitoring system based on Internet of Things to the structural analysis of physical models

Abstract

[EN] A low-cost system for the monitoring of strains in simple physical models within the field of Structural Engineering is presented, calibrated and discussed. It is based on Internet of Things and has reasonable accurate. This system only requires normally, economic devices as Arduino microcontroller and strain gauges. Several tests on a case study of a scaled-cantilevered aluminium beam with different loading are conducted. Governing parameters are calibrated and optimized when benchmarked against theoretical and experimental results obtained with a reference device. Results show great accuracy, however, the need of setting of the parameters campaign-by-campaign, especially aimed at dealing with thermal drift, becomes a shortcoming. Still, its minimum cost and user-friendly management makes it a suitable solution for different applications.