Q: What are the different types of sensors for structural health monitoring?

A: Structural health monitoring (SHM) systems use a range of sensors to assess the integrity and performance of infrastructure. Common types include:

• Strain Sensors – Detect deformation under load.

• Accelerometers – Measure vibration and dynamic response.

• Displacement Sensors – Track physical movement or drift.

• Temperature Sensors – Monitor thermal variations.

• Acoustic Emission Sensors – Detect stress-related events like cracking.

This field is where Grace Technologies got its start. Our CTO, Andy Zimmerman, founded Civionics, a company that pioneered advanced SHM through integrated wireless sensors, cloud storage, and analytics. Civionics’ Systems were proven in demanding environments—from long-span bridges to U.S. naval warships—and laid the foundation for Grace’s current approach to predictive maintenance across critical industrial assets.