STRUCTURAL HEALTH
MONITORING
Structural health monitoring could be phrased as the process of
implementing damage detection and a characterization strategy
for engineering structures.
C
ivil engineering structures are
one of the most sought out
structures in existence. Yet
their existence is taken for
granted, most of the time disregarding
their health. In the meantime enough
resources are not employed, at least
periodically, to monitor their health, so
that they are well maintained. The sudden collapse of such a structure, if it is
of large scale, in the vicinity of a large
population, its existence is crucial for
the community or it is linked to the lives
of the community in a greater scale,
could be disastrous. Bridges, apartments,
dams, oil platforms and other civil infrastructure are detrimental to the human
existence.
material and geometric properties of the structural system,
including problems related to connectivity, which could affect
As there is a risk that would pose to lives and property, moni-
the performance or the functionality of the structure.
toring and maintenance programmes are implemented for
structures of greater importance, i.e, in socio-economic sense
In that case, structural monitoring of some form at least in its
or vulnerability. However, they mostly involve visual inspection
simplest form, visual inspection should be implemented periodi-
accompanied by complimentary methods such as radio x-ray,
cally to ensure that the structure is safe for use. Structural health
radiographic, eddy- current,