PRINCIPLE AND ORGANISATION OF A

SHM SYSTEM AND DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN SHM AND NDE

ABIJITH P
S2 – MTECH
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
STRUCTURAL HEALTH MONITORING
 Structural health monitoring (SHM) is a non-destructive in-situ structural
evaluation method that employs sensors embedded or attached to critical
structures like bridges, wind turbines, and tunnels.

 The process involves installing sensors, data acquisition, data transfer,

and diagnostics through which the structure's safety, strength, integrity,
and performance are monitored.

 The goal of SHM is to improve safety and reliability by detecting damage

before it reaches a critical state, and to enable rapid and enhanced post-
event assessment, such as after a potentially damaging earthquake.

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 IMPORTANCE IN ASSESSING AND MANAGING
STRUCTURAL CONDITION

Assessing and managing the structural condition of buildings, bridges, dams, and other infrastructure assets is of
paramount importance for several reasons:

 Safety assurance

 Asset longevity

 Operational continuity

 Cost efficiency

 Risk management

 Sustainability

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 PRINCIPLES OF SHM
The design and organization of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems are guided by several principles
to ensure their effectiveness and reliability. Here are some key principles that typically inform the
development and implementation of SHM systems:

 Continuous Monitoring

 Sensing Technologies

 Data Acquisition and Transmission

 Data Analysis and Interpretation

 Damage Detection and Localization

 Remote Monitoring and Control

 Scalability and Flexibility

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 CONTINUOUS MONITORING

Continuous monitoring of structural behavior involves the real-time or near real-time measurement and
analysis of various parameters related to the performance and health condition of a structure. This
approach provides ongoing insights into how a structure responds to external loads, environmental
conditions, and aging processes. Here are some key aspects of continuous monitoring of structural
behavior:

 Strain
 Displacement
 Vibration
 Temperature

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 SENSING TECHNOLOGIES
Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) relies on various sensing technologies to capture data about the
health and performance of structures. These sensing technologies encompass a range of measurement
principles and sensor types, each suitable for different applications and structural characteristics. Here are
some common sensing technologies used in SHM:
 Strain Gauges
 Accelerometers
 Displacement Sensors
 Acoustic Emission Sensors
 Fiber Optic Sensors
 Wireless Sensor Networks
 Remote Sensing Techniques

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 DATA ACQUISITION AND TRANSMISSION

 Data acquisition and transmission are

critical components of Structural Sensor Deployment
DATA Sampling and Measurement
Health Monitoring (SHM) systems, ACQUISITION Analog-to-Digital Conversion
responsible for collecting sensor data
from the monitored structure and
transmitting it to a central processing
unit for analysis.
Wired Communication
 Effective data acquisition and DATA Wireless Communication
TRANSMISSION Mesh Networks
transmission ensure timely access to
Data Logging and Storage
accurate and reliable information
about the structural health condition.

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 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

Data analysis and interpretation are essential components of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM)
systems, responsible for extracting meaningful insights from the collected sensor data to assess the
health condition and performance of the monitored structure. It includes;

Decision Support and Visualization

Damage Identification and Quantification

Pattern Recognition and Anomaly Detection

Feature Extraction

Preprocessing

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 DAMAGE DETECTION AND LOCALIZATION
 Damage detection and localization in Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems involve identifying the
presence, extent, and location of structural damage or deterioration based on sensor data collected from the
monitored structure.
 Effective damage detection and localization enable early intervention, proactive maintenance, and risk mitigation
to ensure the safety and integrity of infrastructure assets.

Baseline Comparison Baseline Shift Detection, Damage Indices

Modal Analysis Natural Frequency Shifts, Mode Shape Analysis

Wave-Based Methods Ultrasonic Testing, Acoustic Emission Analysis

Damage Localization Using Vibration,

Vibration-Based Methods
DataOperational Modal Analysis

Finite Element Model Updating Model-Based Damage Localization

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 REMOTE MONITORING AND CONTROL
 Remote monitoring and control in Structural Health Monitoring (SHM)
systems involve the ability to monitor and manage the health condition of
structures from a remote location, typically using communication
technologies and centralized control interfaces.
 This capability allows stakeholders to access real-time or near-real-time
data, perform analysis, and make informed decisions without the need for
physical presence at the monitored site.
 By enabling remote monitoring and control, SHM systems enhance
operational efficiency, reduce maintenance costs, and improve safety by
providing timely access to critical information and enabling proactive
decision-making for infrastructure assets.

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 SCALABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY

Scalability and flexibility are essential characteristics of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM)
systems, enabling them to adapt to changing monitoring requirements, accommodate diverse
structures, and scale up or down based on project needs.

By incorporating these scalability and flexibility features, SHM systems can adapt to
evolving monitoring requirements, scale up to monitor larger or more complex structures, and
support diverse applications across various industries, including civil engineering, aerospace,
energy, and transportation.

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 ORGANIZATION OF SHM SYSTEM
The organization of a Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system involves the coordination of various components,
processes, and stakeholders to ensure effective monitoring, analysis, and management of structural health.
 System Architecture
 Data Management
 Communication and Connectivity
 Integration with Existing Systems
 Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration
 Maintenance and Support
Overall, the organization of an SHM system involves a holistic approach that integrates hardware, software,
communication, and human factors to achieve the objectives of structural health monitoring effectively.
Collaboration between stakeholders, robust data management practices, and ongoing system maintenance are critical
for the success of an SHM system in ensuring the safety, reliability, and longevity of infrastructure assets.

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 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHM AND NDE

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) and Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) are both techniques
used for assessing the condition of structures, but they differ in their approaches, objectives, and
methodologies.

Both SHM and NDE are used for structural assessment, SHM focuses on continuous monitoring of
structures for early damage detection and maintenance management, while NDE is more focused on
periodic inspections and defect detection without causing damage to the structure.

Both techniques play complementary roles in ensuring the safety, reliability, and longevity of
structures and components.

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 OBJECTIVE

SHM NDE

 The primary objective of SHM is to
continuously monitor the health condition of
structures in real-time or near real-time.
 SHM aims to detect, locate, and quantify
damage or deterioration in structures, providing
early warning of potential failures and
facilitating proactive maintenance and
management strategies.
 NDE is focused on assessing the integrity and
quality of materials and structures without
causing damage.
 The primary objective of NDE is to detect
defects, discontinuities, or anomalies within a
structure, such as cracks, corrosion, voids, or
material degradation, to evaluate its fitness for
service and ensure compliance with safety and
quality standards.

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 SCOPE

SHM NDE

 SHM is concerned with the continuous  NDE typically involves periodic or

monitoring of structures over their targeted inspections of structures using
operational lifespan. various techniques and equipment to
 It involves the installation of sensors to assess specific areas of interest or
collect data about structural behavior, suspected defects.
performance, and health condition in  NDE methods may include visual
real-time. SHM systems provide inspection, ultrasonic testing,
ongoing insights into structural integrity, radiographic testing, magnetic particle
performance trends, and the testing, dye penetrant testing, and
effectiveness of maintenance others, depending on the type of defect
interventions. being evaluated.

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 METHODOLOGY

SHM NDE

 SHM relies on sensor data collected from

 NDE techniques involve the direct or
distributed sensor networks deployed on the
indirect examination of materials and
structure.
 Data acquisition systems continuously monitor structures using non-intrusive methods.
 NDE methods utilize physical principles,
structural responses to external loads,
such as sound waves, electromagnetic
environmental conditions, and aging processes.
 Data analysis techniques, such as statistical radiation, or thermal energy, to interrogate
the internal structure of materials and
methods, signal processing, and machine
detect defects or discontinuities.
learning, are used to interpret sensor data and
 Inspection results are interpreted by
detect changes indicative of damage or
trained inspectors or analysts to assess the
deterioration.
severity, location, and extent of defects.

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 APPLICATION

SHM NDE

SHM is commonly applied to critical NDE is widely used across various

infrastructure assets, such as bridges,
buildings, dams, pipelines, and aerospace
structures, where continuous monitoring is
essential for safety, reliability, and
performance optimization. SHM is
particularly useful for structures subjected to
dynamic loads, environmental hazards, or
aging effects.
industries, including construction,
manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, and
oil and gas, to inspect materials, components,
and structures during fabrication, assembly,
maintenance, and in-service operation.
NDE methods help identify defects, assess
material properties, and ensure the quality
and integrity of products and infrastructure.

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 CONCLUSION

 In conclusion, Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems play a crucial role in ensuring
the safety, reliability, and longevity of infrastructure assets. By continuously monitoring
the health condition of structures in real-time or near real-time, SHM systems provide
valuable insights into structural behavior, performance trends, and the effectiveness of
maintenance interventions.
 Both SHM and NDE aim to assess the condition of structures, they differ in their
objectives, methodologies, and scopes.
 In summary, SHM systems provide a proactive approach to structural assessment, enabling
early detection of damage, efficient maintenance planning, and risk mitigation strategies.

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Thank you !