ABSTRACT
Existing sensing technologies for civil structural health monitoring have a serious deficiency in that they require some type of permanent connection to the outside world. This causes significant problems in the installation and ongoing use of these sensors. Several recent cases have shown that the cost of installation and preparation of site for monitoring equipment can easily equal the cost of sensors and interrogation equipment. Therefore, not all sites will justify the cost of installation and maintenance of a permanent site. Wireless technology could make the monitoring of many more sites feasible and therefore significantly increase the utility of SHM for civil structural health monitoring.
