Structural monitoring and durability for buildings and infrastructure

Structural monitoring and durability are central to Sixense’s approach. Using advanced sensors, we track movements, deformations, stresses, and strains across buildings, civil engineering works, and even historic monuments.

Because every structure faces unique challenges, our wide range of monitoring technologies allows us to design solutions tailored to specific conditions, project requirements, and budgets.

One key application is the installation of sensors during construction or nearby works, ensuring that structural integrity is never compromised. Beyond short‑term monitoring, these systems also provide long‑term insights into structural health, enabling proactive maintenance and extending service life.

By integrating monitoring into lifecycle management, we help clients align with sustainability goals such as reducing risk, optimizing resources, and preserving the durability of their assets for future generations.

Installing Structural Sensors

Deploying structural sensors provides powerful insights into how assets behave and evolve over time. These systems make it possible to:

Monitor structural movement and deformation in the short or long term
Minimize operational interruptions after climate events or accidents
Analyze and understand structural behavior with precision
Extend service life while optimizing maintenance costs
Strengthen sustainability and resilience across your asset portfolio

Typical Applications

Structural sensors are invaluable in a wide range of scenarios, including:

Nearby construction activity that could impact stability
Renovation, upgrades, extensions, or underpinning projects
Early detection of issues such as cracks or material degradation
Load increases, whether from higher bridge traffic, new machinery, changes in warehouse use, or additional building floors

Long‑Term Monitoring Benefits

When integrated into lifecycle management, sensor data delivers:

Continuous health monitoring to refine maintenance specifications
Extended lifespan for critical structures
Verification of safety and usability after earthquakes, fires, or extreme climate events
Insights into structural behavior under conditions not anticipated in original designs
Optimized designs for future projects, reducing ecological footprint and improving sustainability

Innovative Monitoring Solutions

Cyclops™ – Automated 3D Topographic Monitoring

Cyclops™ is a proven geodetic solution for continuous, automated 3D monitoring of structures and surfaces.

Provides remote movement measurements with sub‑millimetric accuracy
Enables theodolites to be grouped in unstable environments while maintaining guaranteed nominal accuracy

Find out more about Sixense’s Cyclops solution

4DShape – Continuous Linear Inclinometer

4DShape is an all‑in‑one system using a flexible chain of 3D inclinometers to track relative movement across vertical, horizontal, or converging profiles in soils and structures.

Delivers continuous, high‑resolution monitoring of complex geometries
Supports proactive risk management and structural resilience

Find out more about Sixense’s 4DShape solution

4DBloc – GNSS‑Based Deformation Sensor

GNSS-Based Deformation Sensor

Developed in partnership with the French National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information (IGN), 4DBloc offers robust, cost‑effective GNSS monitoring of ground surfaces and built structures. It provides real‑time position measurements with accuracy and simplicity, ensuring reliable deformation tracking.

Find out more about Sixense’s 4DBloc sensor

4DVib – Remote Structural Inspection

4DVib uses interferometric radar technology to deliver high‑frequency measurements of structural displacement. It captures:

Precise displacement data
Vibration monitoring
Natural frequency analysis This enables remote, non‑intrusive inspection of sensitive structures.

Find out more about Sixense’s 4DVib solution

Inclination Measurements – Tiltmeters & Inclinometers

Tiltmeters or Inclinometers

Tiltmeters (or inclinometers) measure variations in inclination with exceptional accuracy. They are ideal for monitoring wall tilting, settlement, or structural deformation.

Thémis sensors offer improved reliability, individually temperature‑calibrated to eliminate errors caused by environmental variations.

Thémis – Advanced Inclinometer Sensors

Traditional tiltmeters are often limited by their sensitivity to temperature. The MEMS (Micro‑Electro‑Mechanical Sensor) chip that measures angular variation can be affected by fluctuations in temperature, leading to inaccurate readings. In some cases, even the construction of the sensor itself can amplify this sensitivity, reducing reliability in real‑world applications.

Thémis sensors were developed to overcome these challenges. Each unit is individually temperature‑calibrated in a climatic chamber, ensuring that environmental variations are corrected at the source. This meticulous calibration process eliminates false angular indications and delivers measurements that are consistently reliable, accurate, and meaningful.

By integrating Thémis sensors into your monitoring system, you gain:

Precision data unaffected by temperature drift
Greater confidence in structural assessments and long‑term monitoring
Enhanced durability for projects exposed to variable climates
Actionable insights that support proactive maintenance and risk management

Displacement Measurements – Crackmeters

Displacement sensors (crackmeters) detect relative movement between structural elements with precision down to 0.01 mm.

Monitor crack evolution or joint openings
Long‑base sensors measure movement across larger spans, such as cliffs or historic buildings
Fissurologgers combine crack measurement with automated data acquisition

Strain Measurements – Strain Gauges

Strain gauges measure micro‑strain to assess stress evolution in materials, supporting both static and dynamic monitoring.

Applicable to metal, concrete, glass, and cables
Available in multiple technologies: Wheatstone bridge, vibrating string, or fiber optics (FBG)
Enables fatigue analysis by tracking high‑frequency stress cycles By translating micro‑strain into stress values, strain gauges provide engineers with the data needed to verify safety margins and optimize structural design.

Finally, it’s important to remember that sensors only measure stress variations relative to the day of installation. Other techniques exist for measuring historical stresses, such as the Slotstress cylinder, the central hole method, etc.

Load Measurements – Load Cells

Load cells directly measure forces in kiloNewtons, offering critical insights into how structures bear loads.

Commonly used in tunnels, struts, foundations, and tie‑rods
Supports load testing during construction and ongoing monitoring during operation
Accuracy enhanced with rigid plates and careful transducer selection These sensors are essential for validating design assumptions and ensuring that structures perform safely under real‑world conditions.

Vibration Monitoring

Sixense offers comprehensive vibration monitoring services for construction sites and sensitive structures. Our systems comply with international standards (ISO 14837‑31, DIN 45669‑1) and can be customized for:

Modal analysis to understand structural dynamics
Recording rare events such as earthquakes or shocks
Continuous monitoring of vibrations during construction to protect nearby assets This ensures compliance, minimizes risk, and provides peace of mind for stakeholders.

Temperature Measurements – Weather Stations & Sensors

Temperature is a major factor influencing structural stress. Our solutions include:

Surface and in‑depth monitoring for concrete and other materials
Conventional sensors (PT100, PT1000, thermistors) for reliable measurements
Advanced fiber‑optic Raman technology for continuous temperature profiling along a structure By integrating temperature data with other monitoring systems, we help clients understand how environmental conditions impact durability and performance.

Syracuse – Monitoring and Anticipating Corrosion Risks

Syracuse is a unique system designed for the continuous measurement and prediction of corrosion risks in reinforced concrete structures. Developed jointly by the corrosion department of Nantes University and Sixense Monitoring, Syracuse provides real‑time evaluation of infrastructure such as harbour quays, bridges, and offshore wind farm foundations.

What makes Syracuse stand out is its ability to track the progression of chloride ions within concrete and incorporate long‑term predictive modelling. This means owners can anticipate maintenance needs, avoid costly surprises, and focus resources where they are truly required. By continuously monitoring corrosion risk, Syracuse ensures peace of mind by helping you prevent serious structural issues while avoiding unnecessary interventions on healthy assets.

Intelligent Segments – Patented Stress Monitoring

Our Intelligent Segments integrate an autonomous stress monitoring system directly into concrete elements during manufacturing. From the moment the concrete hardens through installation and throughout the entire lifecycle, these segments provide continuous insight into stress variations.

This patented technology allows project owners to:

Track stress evolution from production to operation
Detect abnormal stress patterns early
Improve safety margins and extend service life
Reduce uncertainty in maintenance planning

By embedding monitoring capability into the structure itself, Intelligent Segments deliver a smarter, more proactive approach to asset management.

Find out more about our intelligent segments solution.

Anti‑Lightning Protection – Safeguarding Sensitive Assets

Lightning strikes pose a major risk to electronic systems and structural equipment, causing component damage, service interruptions, and even property loss. Sixense addresses this challenge with a comprehensive lightning risk monitoring solution.

Our system combines two complementary sensors:

One detects thunderstorm activity within a 30 km radius
The other counts direct impacts on lightning conductors

Together, they provide real‑time visibility into site exposure, enabling preventive action and targeted maintenance. Where necessary, structural measures such as stress monitoring in collector lines can also be implemented.

In addition, Sixense designs and supplies a wide range of lightning protection products. These safeguard sensors and measurement systems against electrical discharges, ensuring continuity of data collection and reliability even in highly exposed environments.

The Advantages of Our Instrumentation Solutions

Cutting-edge expertise

Built on more than 20 years of in‑house development and field experience.

Dedicated local teams

Supported by our extensive global network.

Turnkey service

From installation to delivery of pre‑processed data in an accessible web platform.

Geotechnical and structural expertise

Interpreting measurements with precision and relevance to meet your requirements.

Data quality control and proactive maintenance

Ensuring accuracy, reliability, and practical usefulness of every measurement.

Application

Structural monitoring

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Structural Monitoring and Durability