HANDS ON TRAINING ON IOT IN CIVIL ENGINEERING, KPR Institute Engineering and Technology, Autonomous Engineering Institution, Coimbatore, India

Dsol EduConnect Pvt Ltd from Chennai is conducting a two-day hands-on training workshop on IoT applications in civil engineering at KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore. The workshop features industry experts Dr. Senthil Kumar Govindan and Mr. Sivaraj. On the first day, Dr. Senthil Kumar began by discussing the importance of structural health monitoring (SHM) and the various techniques available for evaluating SHM. He explained how to choose appropriate sensors to identify failures and where to place these sensors based on research work. Following this, Mr. Sivaraj provided a detailed explanation of the different types of sensors and their connectivity. He elaborated on the various Arduino boards and their connectivity options, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and discussed the differences between analog and digital connections using live sensors. A bridge prototype model was demonstrated to show how sensors are fixed and the purpose of placing them in specific locations. This practical demonstration helped participants understand the real-world applications of IoT in civil engineering. The workshop aims to equip participants with the necessary skills to implement IoT solutions in their projects. It also emphasizes the critical role of SHM in ensuring the safety and longevity of civil engineering structures.On Day 2(27.07.2024), Mr. Sivaraj began with a hands-on demonstration of different sensors such as soil moisture sensors, accelerometers, ultrasonic sensors, and buzzer sensors, etc., showing how to connect them to Arduino. He then moved on to Arduino programming, explaining the structure of Arduino code and how to add new sensor libraries. Mr. Sivaraj also highlighted the essential aspects of sensor programming. Following this, the industry experts demonstrated structural health monitoring using prototype bridge models. This demonstration covered how to choose sensors, ensure proper connectivity, and write Arduino programs for SHM. They also showed how to view the output through ThingSpeak. Finally, they explained the MIT app for monitoring and controlling IoT devices. The workshop provided valuable insights into integrating IoT with civil engineering projects.