Structural Health Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance: Advanced IoT-based Solutions for a New Era in Structural Engineering

This paper explores the transformative potential of digitalization in structural engineering

through the adoption of predictive monitoring technologies. It presents an innovative IoT-based

system integrating smart bolts equipped with ultrasonic and inertial sensors to continuously

measure clamping force, vibration response, and inclination in steel joints. Data collected from

distributed sensors are transmitted via advanced communication protocols to a cloud platform,

where Machine Learning algorithms perform anomaly detection and trend forecasting. Two

case studies validate the system’s performance: (1) its support in the development of the

FREEDAM technology at the University of Salerno, monitoring resilient bolted joints for

seismic applications; and (2) the structural health monitoring of a large warehouse roof, where

stress redistribution was detected in real-time during testing and commissioning. The study

demonstrates how IoT, AI, and data-driven predictive analytics can enhance safety, efficiency,

and sustainability in the lifecycle management of steel and composite structures.