Engineering Impact Awards, National Instruments

Dr Gennaro Senatore has won the Precision Control category at the National Instruments Engineering Impact Awards for his work on ​Adaptive Structures.

The Challenge

Building structures (e.g. towers, bridges, stadia) are commonly over-engineered for most of their working lives, as a result of being designed to withstand rare, worst-case loading scenarios. This requirement not only creates signficant material wastage but it also restrains stracural and architectural design. Numerical simluations show that these issues can be addressed by adaptive structures, which dynamically counteract external load sensors, control intelligence, and actuators. Experimental testing is required for real world validation.

The Solution

Using NI CompactRIO to provide the sensinig and control intelligence for a full scale adaptive structure prototype, in the form of a slender, lightweight space truss. If external loads cause excessive stress or deflection in the structure, the load path is redirected and displacements are controlled by the active system. The structure was designed using a new methodology, which will enable previously unachieveable structural designs whilst significantly reducing environmental impact.

Gennaro won over fierce competition from Austin Consultants Ltd, and their deisgn for a revolutionary control system for refinishing diamond cut alloy wheels.

You can view more pictures from the event on the National Instruments Facebook page.

Read the original UCL CEGE article here.