Overview of Wireless Sensors for Real-Time Health Monitoring of Civil Structures

Wireless monitoring has emerged in recent years as a promising technology that will greatly impact the field of structural health monitoring. This paper is a summary of research efforts that have resulted in the design of numerous wireless sensing unit prototypes explicitly intended for implementation in civil structures. Wireless sensing units integrate wireless communications and mobile computing with sensors to deliver a sensor platform inexpensive to install in large-scale structures. Collocating computational power with sensors is a distinct feature of the wireless sensing paradigm that allows sensors to self-interrogate measurements for signs of structural damage. The paper concludes with a discussion on the future research needs that can further advance wireless sensing as a viable substitute for traditional wire-based structural monitoring systems.