OU researchers develop new technology to identify road, bridge problems below the surface
NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR) - As technology advances, the University of Oklahoma is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Transportation to make roads and bridges safer after natural disasters such as storms and floods. The research on campus will have a country-wide impact.
“We're one of the states that has a lot of infrastructures and bridges. So, we have a similar needs like other parts of the country for this,” said Dr. Rockee Zhang, OU electrical and computer engineering professor.
It’s a new ground penetration radar developed by researchers at the OU Radar Innovations Lab. The device is attached to a drone and works like a flying radar, scanning surfaces to identify problems below the road or bridges.
For example, when flooding causes damage to a road or bridge, inspections can detect damage to the surface. However, this new radar technology can see damage invisible to the human eye.
“The analysis can help us characterize what it may be, whether that's a rebar or a crack or something like that. But off the drone insight, we can just see that there is something there. It will take post-processing to determine what is actually there,” said Kegan Reynolds, electrical engineering student at OU.
The ability to fly the radar will make surveying the roads and bridges easier, faster and less time consuming.
“There are a lot of infrastructures like bridges and pavements and roads in the country that need to be monitored and inspected regularly for a lot of defects. Right now, it's time consuming and labor-intensive. We hope our technology can help to automate it and also improve the accuracy of it without adding too many people,” said Zhang.
The U.S. Department of Transportation granted the school $15 million to fund the project, hoping it will save lives and improve road and bridge safety across the country.
“As extreme weather continues, not just here in Oklahoma but around the nation, I'm excited that the experts in this region are leading the way others can learn from, particularly as climate changes and our travel patterns. We still need to get to work. We still need to get to the to the hospital. And the leadership here at the university will be one that others can follow around the nation,” said Robert Hampshire, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology for the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Developers say the device is still in its early stages, so it has not been launched yet. They also hope to make other improvements to the radar as they continue to work on the project.