Abstract: A side under ride guard for a large vehicle having a trailer portion with a relatively high ground clearance is provided. The trailer portion has a front, a rear, and opposing side edges extending between the front and the rear. The side under ride guard attaches to the trailer portion and is positioned below the side edge of the trailer portion a distance sufficient to obstruct progress of a passenger vehicle under the side edge of the trailer. The side under ride guard further is positioned relative to the side edge of the trailer so as to prevent intrusion of the side edge into the passenger vehicle occupant compartment as well as to minimize the regions of contact between the passenger vehicle and the side under ride guard itself.

Abstract: A mobile platform comprising at least one mobile platform system that includes a processor, a structure, and an SHM system. The SHM system also includes a processor as well as a structural sensor. The SHM processor is separate from the mobile platform system processor. In other preferred embodiments, the mobile platform includes a flight control system, a maintenance information system, and an IVHM system. The SHM system may receive parameters from the flight control system and calculate loads therefrom. Alternatively, the sensor may be a structural load sensor, which the SHM processor uses along with the parameters, to calculate other structural loads. In still another preferred embodiment, a method is provided that includes separating SHM functions from a processor of a mobile platform system. The method also includes dedicating an SHM system to perform SHM functions and establishing communications between the SHM system and the mobile platform system.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for monitoring conditions of a vehicle and generating a maintenance plan according to the monitored conditions. The system includes one or more sensors and a data acquisition unit located within the vehicle. The one or more sensors generate signals of a condition from various locations within the vehicle. The data acquisition unit stores the generated sensor signals at a first sampling rate. The system also includes a structural condition management system that receives the stored sensor signals from the data acquisition unit. The structural condition management system is external to the vehicle. The structural condition management system processes the transmitted sensor signals based on one or more associated predefined condition assessment algorithms and generates a maintenance plan based on the processed sensor signals.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for monitoring conditions of a vehicle and generating a maintenance plan according to the monitored conditions. The system includes one or more sensors and a data acquisition unit located within the vehicle. The one or more sensors generate signals of a condition from various locations within the vehicle. The data acquisition unit stores the generated sensor signals at a first sampling rate. The system also includes a structural condition management system that receives the stored sensor signals from the data acquisition unit. The structural condition management system is external to the vehicle. The structural condition management system processes the transmitted sensor signals based on one or more associated predefined condition assessment algorithms and generates a maintenance plan based on the processed sensor signals.

Abstract: A fiber grating corrosion sensor system which includes fiber grating corrosion and/or chemical sensors formed by writing one or more fiber gratings that are transverse load sensitive so that when corrosion occurs to a transverse stress applying sleeve there over, the transverse loading is relieved. The spectral signals from the fiber grating sensors change with variations in transverse strain providing a measurement of the degree of corrosion or change in chemical content.