Civionics for structural health monitoring

As the design and construction of civil structures continue to evolve, it is becoming imperative that these structures be monitored for their health. To meet this need, the discipline of civionics has emerged. It involves the application of electronics to civil structures and aims to assist engineers in realizing the full benefits of structural health monitoring (SHM). Therefore, the goal of the civionics specifications outlined in this work is to ensure that the installation and operation of fibre optic sensors are successful. This paper will discuss several lessons learned during the implementation of health monitoring systems for civil structures. The monitoring of these structures primarily motivated the writing of these specifications. Creating a standard procedure for SHM eliminated several ambiguities, such as fibre sensor specifications and the types of cables required. As a result, it is expected that these specifications will help ensure that the sensors will survive the installation process and eventually prove their value over years of structural health monitoring. The civionics fibre optic sensor specifications include the requirements for fibre sensors and their corresponding readout units. They also include specifications for the cables, conduits, junction boxes, termination, and environmental protection.