Wisis (Wood In Situ InSpection) software

WISIS is a non-destructive inspection system for evaluating the mechanical state of solid wooden elements used in a structure.

Wood is widely used in construction. During the lifetime of a structure, deterioration of a wooden component may result from the application of excessive loads, or the presence of fungi or insects. It is important to periodically assess the status of the wood structure, using non-destructive methods, to detect and determine the degree of any degradation, so that damaged parts can be replaced or repaired to prevent the collapse of the inspected structure.

WISIS should be used to assist inspectors in locating mechanically weakened sectors in a wooden structure. WISIS is a diagnostic tool, used under the responsibility of an operator, but not a prognostic tool.

Measuring principle

Our analysis method detects changes in elastic wave propagation when in the presence of wood degradation. The main hypothesis is that the modulus of elasticity is affected by any degradation.

An elastic wave is induced in the material by hitting the tested element with an impact hammer. An accelerometer, attached to the opposite side of the test-piece, records the output signal. The simultaneous measurement of the system’s input and output signals enables the computation of the characteristics of the tested item, such as the wave speed and its attenuation.

Main features

• Determination of the modulus of elasticity and damping coefficient
• Automatic adjustment of the acquisition board settings, performed in a single mouse click
• Simplified GUI for a quick start, all settings and results are displayed in the main window
• Available in several languages (French and English). Special translations can be added on request
• Fast and reliable results
• Portable device

The device includes

• A USB powered acquisition card model from Pico Technology
• An accelerometer and an instrumented impact hammer
• A registration licence to use the software