Recently, people have begun to use sensors to monitor the condition of their buildings. These collect real-time data on the structure’s condition. However, knowing which ones to implement in your building can be a challenge. Basically, it is all about deciding what need you must meet in your monitoring system. Here are some of the different sensor options that you have to choose from.
Fiber Optic Sensors
The past few years have seen great development and application progress when it comes to fiber optic sensors. Civil engineers can use these to measure many different parameters. For instance, they are commonly used to measure humidity, temperature, pressure, acceleration, vibration frequencies, structural displacement, and strains.
Additionally, they can monitor buildings on a local or global scale. That means that they can monitor localized areas of your building or the entire structure as a whole. They can also be used on many different material types, although they are often preferred for concrete.
Accelerometers
Accelerometers are used to measure acceleration forces in both multi and single-axis directions. In addition, it can measures static forces, like gravity, and dynamic ones, like sudden vibrations. These can be found in use on a wide range of infrastructure and building types.
Load Cells
Load cells are transducers that convert forces, such as torque, pressure, compression, and tension, into measurable electrical output. The output changes as the force applied to the load cell changes. They are often used in a building health monitoring system when precision and accuracy are needed. For example, they are common in historic homes where different building materials have been combined, such as brick with stone.
Advances in sensor technology have resulted in numerous types being used to monitor the health of a structure. Following the information in this guide can help you decide which type of sensors to include in your monitoring system.
