Physical Acoustics Corp. Receives FHWA Bridge Contract
Princeton Junction, NJ - October, 2007 - Physical Acoustics Corporation (PAC), a member of MISTRAS Group Inc., announces the awarding of a contract under the Steel Bridge Testing Program by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
The steel bridge testing program aims to improve the quality andsafety of steel bridges across the United States by using nondestructive evaluation technology to detect damages.
PAC's 16-Channel AE Sensor Highway II Acoustic Emission(TM) (AE) System is one of the non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technologies that was selected for the new FHWA program. The AE Sensor Highway II System(TM) is designed to monitor cracks in steel bridges, and the effectiveness of repairs, by determining if pre-existing or known defects are active. The system also monitors the inaccessible areas where visual inspection is difficult and determines if highly stressed areas show flaw-like activity.
The Sensor Highway utilizes Acoustic Emission sensors, as well as sensor fusion including vibration, strain gages and crack gages, to achieve this result.
With the number of tools and technologies to detect cracks in bridges currently on the rise, the FHWA hopes their program will be a significant improvement in this area. FHWA's main objective is to provide more information to the bridge owner and a higher level of technology in order to assure asset integrity and safety.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) Center was established by the Federal Highway Administration in 1998. The objective of the FHWA NDE Center is to improve the state of the art practices for highway bridge inspection.
MISTRAS Group Inc. provides nondestructive testing products and services under the well-known brand names of CONAM Inspection & Engineering Services Inc., Physical Acoustics Corporation, Code Services, Quality Services Laboratories Inc., Caliber Inspection, PRI, NDT Automation, Controlled Vibrations Inc. and Vibra-Metrics. MISTRAS
Group provides Asset Inspection and Mechanical Integrity solutions to the Oil & Gas, Power Generation, Aerospace, Infrastructure and Manufacturing sectors as well as strategic on-line instrumentation that facilitates Plant Asset Management. In addition, MISTRAS is the leading provider of Enterprise Solution Software that aids in the safe and profitable operation of industrial facilities worldwide.
For more information, please visit the company's website at www.mistrasgroup.com or contact us at 609-716-4000.
