Potential Applications of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) in the Management of Infrastructure Assets

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) have developed significantly in the past ten years, leveraging and advances in the semiconductor industry to produce miniaturized mechanical systems. Infrastructure assets management has recently been addressed as an important field for MEMS applications. MEMS can help in continuous monitoring of in-service infrastructure systems. The advantages of this continuous monitoring include: obtaining data on actual operating levels and conditions, developing structural response and serviceability, and detecting early warning signs of damage. The purpose of this paper is to give a general overview of MEMS and to provide examples of potential applications within infrastructure research.