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angelyn Muñoz
angelyn Muñoz

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Programming a Crash Detection System for Urban Bollards with Arduino

Ever seen a delivery truck back into a bollard like it’s made of foam? Yeah, not ideal. Last year, I watched a bus clip a metal post downtown and just keep driving. No alerts, no damage logs, nothing. That’s when I thought—"Why don’t these things have a crash detection system?"

So, if you’ve got a soldering iron and a couple hours on your hands, let me show you how to build a simple Arduino-powered impact sensor for urban bollards.

The Problem: Bollards Are Passive

Sure, they stop vehicles—but they don’t talk. They don’t ping you when they’ve taken a hit. And in cities investing heavily in Iron Bollards Installation in Chicago wouldn’t it be awesome if those things could say, “Hey, I’ve been hit”?

What You’ll Learn

Let’s keep this fun and digestible. Here’s what we’re covering:

  • How to use a piezo sensor to detect impact
  • Setting up your Arduino and serial monitor
  • Calibrating for false positives (because wind is not a crash)
  • Adding a basic buzzer or light for alerts
  • Ideas for real-world integration (hello, city IT systems)

1. Hook Up the Hardware

You’ll need:

- Arduino Uno
- Piezo vibration sensor
- 1MΩ resistor
- Breadboard and jumper wires
- Optional: buzzer or LED
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Connect the piezo between A0 and ground, with a 1MΩ resistor bridging A0 to ground.

2. Sample Arduino Sketch 

int sensorPin = A0;
int threshold = 100;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
  int value = analogRead(sensorPin);
  if (value > threshold) {
    Serial.println("Impact detected!");
  }
  delay(100);
}
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Test it by tapping gently near the sensor. You’ll see values shoot up.

3. Calibrating the Sensor 

// Use Serial.println(value) to observe
// Adjust 'threshold' until only hard hits register
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This step matters more than you'd think. I once set mine too low, and rain tapping the bollard was triggering it. Not helpful.

4. Add an Alert System 

int buzzerPin = 9;

void loop() {
  int value = analogRead(sensorPin);
  if (value > threshold) {
    digitalWrite(buzzerPin, HIGH);
    delay(1000);
    digitalWrite(buzzerPin, LOW);
  }
}
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You can swap the buzzer for a bright red LED. Same logic.

5. Optional: Logging to SD Card 

#include <SD.h>
File logFile = SD.open("impact_log.txt", FILE_WRITE);
logFile.println("Impact at " + String(millis()));
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Not essential, but cool if you want timestamps.

Real-World Application

Cities like those doing Iron Bollards Installation Chicago il could use this to:

  • Alert street maintenance crews
  • Detect repeat damage zones
  • Improve public safety reporting

I mean, even insurance data could benefit.

Resources I Use (Almost Daily)

  • Arduino IDE (obviously)
  • PlatformIO (for bigger projects)
  • SerialPlot (to visualize sensor spikes)
  • Fritzing (to sketch circuit layouts)
  • ThingSpeak (if you want to IoT this)

Quick Debugging Tip 

if (!SD.begin(4)) {
  Serial.println("SD failed");
  return;
}
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Took me 30 minutes to realize I hadn’t plugged the SD card in properly. 🤦‍♂️

More You Could Do

  • Add a GPS module for location tagging
  • Use a SIM800L for real-time SMS alerts
  • Mount solar power for remote autonomy

Final Thoughts

This project won’t stop crashes, but it’ll sure make you aware of them. It’s a fun weekend build that’s surprisingly scalable.

If your city is exploring Iron Bollards Installation Chicago this might be your cue to pitch something smart.

Give it a try this week—you’ll see!

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