Wireless sensors for measuring wind-borne pressures during hurricanes

Abstract

A third generation of wireless sensors was developed to study wind-borne pressure variations in low-rise buildings during hurricanes. The system has the capability of measuring pressure and temperature along a roof, collecting data and sending it to a server to process and publish on the web in near real-time. Also wind speed and direction are measured by the system with the use of an anemometer. Sensors are placed inside individual custom-made plastic weatherproof cases. Small size of all components allows an aerodynamic shape, reducing the shape effect of the sensor on the fl ow. Low power consumption combined with Li-Ion batteries provide several days of continuous data collection. The platform created allows using almost any type of sensor via a planned expansion port. The paper presents some preliminary results. © RILEM 2013.