Wei Zhang

Bio: Wei Zhang is an academic researcher from Bentley University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Slab & Test data. The author has an hindex of 2, co-authored 2 publications receiving 27 citations.

A prototype IOT based wireless sensor network for traffic information monitoring

Abstract: An Internet of things (IOT) based wireless sensor system, solely using wireless accelerometers, is developed for traffic volume and vehicle classification monitoring in this paper. A series of laboratory tests, field tests as well as numerical simulation were performed to validate the feasibility and accuracy of the monitoring system. Besides, in order to eliminate the impacts of noises in the output signals, an advanced algorithm is developed to analyze the test data. The findings based on the test results indicate that the system is capable of reliably detecting axles and calculating axle spacing in both laboratory and field tests. In addition, compared with the actual measurements, the numerical simulation further validates the feasibility of the integrated wireless sensor system for traffic information monitoring.

Smart traffic management system using Internet of Things

Abstract: Traffic management system is a cornerstone of a Smart city. In the current problems of the world, urban mobility is one of the major problems, especially in metropolitan cities. Previous traffic management systems are not capable enough to tackle this growth of traffic on the road networks. The purpose of this paper is to propose a smart traffic management system using the Internet of Things and a decentralized approach to optimize traffic on the roads and intelligent algorithms to manage all traffic situations more accurately. This proposed system is overcoming the flaws of previous traffic management systems. The system takes traffic density as input from cameras which is abstracted from Digital Image Processing technique and sensors data, resultantly giving output as signals management. An algorithm is used to predicts the traffic density for future to minimize the traffic congestion. Besides this, RFIDs are also used to prioritize the emergency vehicles like ambulance, fire brigade etc. by implementing RFID tags in such vehicles. In the case of emergency situations, such as fire explosion or burning of something, fire and smoke sensors are also deployed on the road to detect such situations. Moreover, a mobile application is connected to a centralized server which intimates to nearby rescue department about fire explosion with the location to take further action. In addition, the native user can ask about future traffic condition at a particular node. The proposed system is validated by constructing a prototype and deploying it in a city of Pakistan. A web application is also there to provide useful information in graphical formats to the higher authorities of the smart city which is fruitful in future road planning.

Structural health monitoring of asphalt pavements using smart sensor networks: A comprehensive review

Abstract: Early, effective and continuous monitoring allows to reduce costs and to extend life of road infrastructure. For this reason, over the years, more and more efforts have been made to implement more advanced and effective monitoring systems at ever more contained costs, going from impractical manual and destructive methods through automated in vehicle equipment to the most recent wireless sensor network (WSN) embedded into the pavement. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive, up-to-date critical literature review of wireless sensor networks for pavement health monitoring, considering, also, the experience gained for wired sensor as fundamental point of reference. This work presents both the methodology used to collect and analyse the current bibliography and provides a description and comments fundamental characteristics of wireless sensor networks for pavement monitoring for damage detection purposes, among which energy supply, the detection method, the hardware and network architecture and the performance validation procedures. A brief analysis of other possible complementary applications of smart sensor networks, such as traffic and surface condition monitoring, is provided. Finally, a comment is provided on the gaps and possible directions that future research could follow to allow the extensive use of wireless sensor networks for pavement health condition monitoring.

The State of the Art: Application of Green Technology in Sustainable Pavement

Abstract: A wide range of literature on predominant green technologies for sustainable pavements is summarized in this paper. It covers two major aspects: energy harvesting technologies and permeable pavement systems. Fundamental mechanics of energy harvesting techniques and possible designs of energy harvesters are described, with the evaluation of energy conversion efficiency, and advantages and disadvantages. In addition, the designs of permeable pavement systems are discussed, along with their advantages and disadvantages. The latest technical innovations are highlighted. It is found that green technologies are promising for developing more sustainable pavements. Application issues are also pointed out, including construction challenges, durability, and life-cycle cost-benefit assessment. Future research directions are suggested to address practical challenges, such as efficient design, construction challenge, timely maintenance, and life-cycle performance assessment.

Collecting comprehensive traffic information using pavement vibration monitoring data

Abstract: Traffic data is essential for intelligent traffic management and road maintenance. However, the enormous effort used for data collection and analysis, combined with conventional approaches...

Investigating the Pavement Vibration Response for Roadway Service Condition Evaluation

Abstract: Dynamic response of pavement provides service condition information and helps with damage prediction, while limited research is available with the simulation of pavement vibration response for evaluating roadway service condition This paper presents a numerical model for the analysis of the pavement vibration due to the dynamic load created by a passing vehicle A quarter vehicle model was used for the determination of the vehicle moving load Both random and spatial characteristics of the load were considered The random nonuniform moving load was then introduced in a 3D finite element model for the determination of the traffic-induced pavement vibration The validated numerical model was used to assess the effects of dynamic load, material properties, and pavement structures on pavement vibration response Numerical analyses showed that the vibration modes changed considerably for the different roadway service conditions The vibration signals reflect the level of road roughness, the stiffness of the pavement materials, and the integrity of pavement structure The acceleration extrema, the time-domain signal waveform, the frequency distribution, and the sum of squares of Fourier amplitude can be potential indexes for evaluating roadway service condition This provides recommendations for the application of pavement vibration response in early-warning and timely maintenance of road