Technology-Enhanced Infrastructure

The backbone of every city is a system of infrastructure assets. Cities have a responsibility to their citizens to at least maintain, if not improve, the safety, functionality, environmental impact, and economic value of these structures. Sensor-monitoring technologies used in combination with asset management strategies will help cities maintain their infrastructure. Sensors are just one component of a Technology-Enhanced Infrastructure (TEI) system. TEIs also include an array of physical assets; inventory of embedded, attached, and remote sensors; a robust communication and data storage network; and a cohort of asset managers. This chapter examines each component of a TEI system and provides two examples of the use of sensors to monitor infrastructure assets.