01 Throughout the service life of a structure or piece of equipment, structural health monitoring (SHM) collects and analyzes data obtained from a wide range of connected sensors. It is a non-destructive, continuous data collecting method for recognizing and quantifying the state of deterioration of an object to forecast the need for repair and maintenance. The real-time data collection and analysis can help make appropriate decisions to avoid accidents and unprecedented failures in the structure. SHM can be applied in civil, aerospace, defense, energy, and others.The aging infrastructure in developed countries, including Japan, the US, the UK, and others, is expected to surge the demand for structural health monitoring solutions. Moreover, the effectiveness of SHM over conventional inspection and testing methods is also likely to propel the growth of the global market.
01 The Efficiency of Structural Health Monitoring over Traditional Methods Evaluation of structural integrity and performance of in-service structures on a real-time basis has gained significant traction over time. Structural health monitoring (SHM) replaces the scheduled and periodic maintenance inspections with condition-based maintenance, which reduces the dependence on labor-based care. In addition, the condition of a structure was previously inspected by visual aids and non-destructive testing (NDT). These methods have limitations, such as the limited scope of optical reach, non-uniform testing, failure to recognize potential threats, and others.SHM utilizes sensors to collect and analyze data at different periods during the structure's service life. This assists in receiving and identifying the amount of damage or deterioration caused to the system. In addition, this also helps in determining the repair and maintenance requirements of the building to avoid permanent structural damage and thereby avoid accidents. Thus, the effectiveness of SHM over traditional methods such as NDT and visual inspection drives the growth of the global market.
02 Development in Sensor Technology Structural health monitoring has been implemented and developed to continuously monitor the condition of a structure through real-time data collection using sensors. Various wireless and wired sensors are utilized for SHM applications, which undergo continuous advancements and upgrades. Multiple types of sensors used for SHM include load cells, linear variable differential transformers (LVDT), fiber optic sensors, vibrating wire transducers, strain gauges, temperature sensors, tilt meters, and others. Major companies engaged in sensor development for SHM focus on implementing new technologies to collect more accurate data for better structure analysis.
01 High Implementation Costs Structural health monitoring installation and implementation costs are comparatively higher than other civil infrastructure condition monitoring methods. Most of these costs are related to engineering and the lack of resource availability associated with incorporating an SHM system into a structure.
01 Growth in Infrastructure Investment The growth in urbanization and surge in investment in infrastructure is a significant opportunity for the increase in the adoption of structural health monitoring. According to a World Bank report, private participation in infrastructure (PPI) investment totaled USD 96.7 billion over 409 projects. In addition, the five-year average investment was USD 103.5 billion. Around 19% of project sponsorship in developing nations originated through China-based entities. This depicts a high growth in infrastructural development activities, which is anticipated to offer growth opportunities for the market.
March 2026 HBK (Hottinger Brüel & Kjær) expanded its structural health monitoring solutions portfolio with advanced sensor technologies and digital monitoring platforms designed for bridges, aerospace structures, industrial assets, and critical infrastructure applications.
January 2026 COWI expanded its structural monitoring capabilities by integrating advanced digital inspection and sensor-based monitoring solutions into infrastructure projects, supporting predictive maintenance and lifecycle management of bridges and large structures.
November 2025 Nova Metrix expanded its structural health monitoring portfolio with enhanced wireless sensing and data-management solutions, improving real-time monitoring capabilities for civil infrastructure, tunnels, dams, and transportation assets.
September 2025 Campbell Scientific introduced enhanced structural monitoring solutions featuring improved data acquisition systems, wireless connectivity, and remote monitoring capabilities for infrastructure and environmental applications.