Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) has progressed over time from traditional (manual) methods of visual inspection to contemporary forms known as passive sensing and presently, through Active and Smart SHM systems. Originally, sensors were only used after the fact, to capture events for post-event analysis. Nowadays, with the development of advanced diagnostics, systems can detect microscopic-level fatigue crack formation or sophisticated internal delamination within composite materials weeks, if not years, before they can be seen by the naked eye.
The year's 2026 brought with it a boon from the movement towards Smart Cities. Urban designers have been increasing the demand for the incorporation of Structural Health Assessment processes using SHM technology systems into the construction phase of new buildings (skyscrapers), waterways (dams), and transportation hubs. With the advent of this cradle-to-grave method of monitoring, construction professionals can now optimise their material use when constructing new structures, which in turn has resulted in significantly lower long-term maintenance costs. Additionally, high-resolution Fibre Optic Sensors (F.O.S), now integrated into many SHM systems, have changed the way Linear Asset persons and organisations monitor Pipelines & Tunnels by allowing for a continuous stream of data to be gathered at every location along the total length of that asset vs. just at specific points or intervals.
Smart Structural Health Monitoring Market Key Highlights
• Infrastructure Crisis Response: With over 35% of major bridges in North America and Europe exceeding their 50-year design life, SHM is shifting from an "optional safety measure" to a "regulatory mandate" for ageing asset management.
• Wireless Dominance: The transition from wired to wireless sensor networks (WSN) has accelerated, with wireless systems now accounting for the fastest-growing technology segment due to a 40-60% reduction in installation costs compared to traditional cabling.
• Digital Twin Integration: SHM systems are no longer isolated data collectors; they are being integrated with Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Digital Twins, allowing engineers to run "what-if" simulations on structural stress in real-time.
• Edge AI Adoption: Modern SHM components now feature Edge Computing, where sensors process vibration and strain data locally. This reduces the bandwidth required for cloud transmission and allows for millisecond-response warnings during seismic or impact events.
• Global Infrastructure Aging and Safety Regulations: aging of global infrastructure and increased pressure being placed on the infrastructure from safety regulations are two major factors driving the SHM market forward. In more developed economies, much of the infrastructure built during the post-World War II Era has now been in place long enough to see significant deterioration. As economies in developing (emerging) nations continue to rapidly urbanize, "megastructures" will continue to grow and be created that will need to be monitored continuously because of their complexities. With the increasing application of SHM systems comes more stringent safety regulations from governments around the world. As an example, in the US, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act appropriated billions of dollars for 'smart' bridge repair, while in Europe, the Eurocodes have all been updated to require the use of instrumentation for critical public assets.
• Rapid Proliferation of Wireless and IoT Technologies: The rapid spread of wireless and IoT technologies has taken away one of the biggest challenges to be overcome in the adoption of SHM: connectivity in shielding and remote environments. The introduction of low-power wide-area networks (LPWAN) such as LoRaWAN and 5G, along with the advancements made in both technologies, have allowed sensors to be capable of operating off a battery for a period of 5 to 10 years and send data over distances of several kilometres. The advancements made through LPWAN and Low-Power Wireless Technology have created the opportunity for SHM systems to be installed in facilities located in very remote parts of the world (for example, Offshore Wind Farms and Remote Hydroelectric Dams) where running cables to them was too expensive.
• Demand for Predictive Maintenance in Aerospace & Defence: In the aerospace sector, the move to Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) is having a significant impact on the adoption of SHM technology as it relates to aerospace applications. For airlines, being able to monitor real-time for defects in the structural integrity of their aircraft's fuselage and wings allows them to move away from rigid time-based inspection schedules. This will result in much less unscheduled downtime and will extend the service life of the aircraft fleets, leading to annual operational cost savings projected to be on the order of $1.5 Million per aircraft.
The primary challenge is data management and interpretation. Smart SHM systems generate petabytes of data; without skilled personnel and sophisticated AI, this data remains "noise." This creates a massive opportunity for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) providers to develop AI-driven analytics platforms that can filter "environmental noise" (like wind or traffic) from "structural anomalies." Another challenge is the high initial capital expenditure (CapEx) for retrofitting old structures, which is being addressed by the development of "peel-and-stick" sensors like those from Acellent Technologies.
January 2026: Kistler Group announced a new series of piezoelectric force sensors designed specifically for "High-Speed Weigh-in-Motion" (WIM) on smart bridges, allowing for simultaneous traffic and structural analysis.
The market is segmented by component, by technology, by end user, and by geography.
FOS are a major subsegment of the FOS optical fibre sensor category that are highly regarded due to their ability to withstand EMI and work in extreme temperature ranges. FOS will be used in 2026 to serve as a "nervous system" for large-scale infrastructure such as pipelines and suspension bridges. These sensors make use of FBG technologies that enable FOS to identify millimetres of strain, temperature, and pressure over long distances of up to kilometres from a single FOS cable. Because FOS will not need power to be used at the sensor location, the expected high reliability of these devices for long-term operation is a large benefit of using FOS. The high fidelity of FOS data is becoming the primary data input of AI digital twins to give engineers and designers an all-new view of how to better understand and visualise stress on the structures under design
Wireless SHM subsegment, as a result of the dramatic decrease in cost and installation complexity since its adoption, compared to wired systems. The rapid growth of 5G and LoRaWAN services for equipment and infrastructure enables municipalities to deploy wireless sensor networks quickly and economically without the need for putting in large amounts of equipment (conduit) and labour to bury conduit. In addition, with the development of the wireless sensor network using low-power sensor nodes that can last from 5 to 10 years on a single battery or use energy captured from ambient vibrations to power themselves, wireless sensor networks can provide plug-and-play scalability. This allows cities to use wireless sensor networks to create cost-effective digitisation pathways for municipal safety. In doing so, cities are transitioning to a proactive predictive maintenance approach instead of waiting for an emergency to occur before performing repairs to the infrastructure.
Primarily driven by an urgent need to address the "infrastructure deficit" in the United States and Canada. With thousands of bridges, dams, and highways currently rated as "structurally deficient," federal initiatives like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) have funneled billions into "smart" retrofitting. The market in 2026 is seeing a heavy push toward wireless vibration sensors and strain gauges to monitor aging assets in real-time. Additionally, the region’s strong aerospace and defense hub (led by players like Honeywell and Emerson) ensures that SHM remains a standard for composite aircraft and military vessel maintenance.
South America is an emerging high-growth market, particularly focused on the safety of mining and hydropower infrastructure. Following high-profile dam failures in the early 2020s, countries like Brazil and Chile have implemented strict regulatory mandates for continuous, automated monitoring of tailings dams and reservoirs. In January 2026, the 2nd Latin-American Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring (LATAM-SHM) in Santiago highlightied the region's focus on low-cost wireless sensor networks that can survive harsh, remote environments. While still in its early stages compared to North America, the region is seeing rapid adoption of satellite-based InSAR monitoring for large-scale earth structures.
The European market is defined by a unique balance between heritage preservation and sustainable energy. In 2026, the region is one of the global leader in monitoring high-speed rail networks (such as the TGV and ICE) and offshore wind farms in the North Sea. European directives for "Circular Economy" and "Green Buildings" have made SHM a requirement for new commercial constructions to optimize material usage and extend building lifespans. Germany remains the technological heart of the region, hosting major events like the International Conference on Smart SHM in Berlin (December 2026), where the focus has shifted toward using Digital Twins to manage the health of centuries-old cathedrals and historical landmarks alongside modern infrastructure.
Unlike regions dealing with aging assets, the Middle East is focused on "born-smart" infrastructure. Projects like Saudi Arabia's NEOM and the UAE’s mandatory safety regulations for buildings over 5,000 square meters are driving a massive demand for embedded fiber-optic sensors and AI-driven analytics. The primary challenge here is environmental; SHM systems in 2026 are specifically engineered to withstand extreme heat, sandstorms, and high salinity in coastal regions. UAE’s leadership in smart city initiatives has made it a global testbed for city-wide structural data integration.
The market is fueled by the massive scale of urbanization in China and India, where hundreds of new bridges, tunnels, and high-rise apartments are completed annually. APAC is the world leader in 5G-integrated sensing, where high-speed networks allow for massive-scale deployment of IoT sensors with near-zero latency. In 2026, Japan and South Korea remain specialized leaders in seismic monitoring systems, while China’s "New Infrastructure" plan continues to integrate SHM into its national power grid and water diversion projects, ensuring that nearly 60% of its new mega-projects are instrumented from day one.
| Report Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Market Size in 2026 | USD 3 billion |
| Total Market Size in 2029 | USD 5 billion |
| Forecast Unit | USD Billion |
| Growth Rate | 5.12% |
| Study Period | 2021 to 2029 |
| Historical Data | 2021 to 2024 |
| Base Year | 2025 |
| Forecast Period | 2026 – 2029 |
| Segmentation | Type, End User, Geography |
| Geographical Segmentation | North America |
| Companies |
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