Perception about the use of monitoring systems in civil construction structures

In recent years, concrete structures have started to show increased amounts of degradation or damage. This phenomenon is generally caused by the growth of these constructions, particularly with regard to slenderness. In the quest for new strategies to address this problem and to ensure the safety of structures and their occupants, tools for damage detection and timely analysis distributed within buildings have been developed. These tools are referred to as “Structural Health Monitoring” sensors. It is known that these systems still have high costs, thus this study aims to assess their value through future projections of their costs and utility. This monitoring method, although not widespread, mainly aims to maintain the integrity of major projects; it is not currently focused in small sized works, with the exception of a few structures of historical interest. Therefore, this study proposes the analysis of structural monitoring systems in civil construction, through means of a survey and interviews with experts. The study is aimed at investigating current technologies, planning for implementation, and identifying costs and feasibility of structural monitoring in the future. In conclusion, it was possible to expose that deformation and displacement sensors, along with optical and electrical technologies are the most commonly used types of sensors. Furthermore, it was found that monitoring systems are only feasible for large structures and the estimated time for use in medium-sized buildings is 15 years or more. However, it can be noted that the cost is currently very high, but will likely be reduced in the future.