A lightweight data management and visualization platform for structural health monitoring based on BIM and augmented reality

Abstract

Efficient management and intuitive, flexible visualization of heterogeneous data from multiple sources in structural health monitoring are crucial for daily inspections, making it a significant research focus. This study proposes a lightweight structural health monitoring data management and visualization platform based on building information modeling (BIM) and mobile-augmented reality. The developed smartphone application, HoloGrid, integrates these advanced technologies to enhance efficiency and reduce the costs of daily inspections. Structural monitoring data collected from various sensors are stored in a centralized database for unified management and transmitted to the smartphone in real time using the Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocol. The BIM model of the case grid structure is projected onto the real environment using a smartphone screen, allowing users to adjust the model’s position to correspond with the actual structure through multitouch inputs, including translation, scaling, and rotation. Users can tap on the structural components to access their attribute information and real-time monitoring data. Furthermore, the corresponding model element is automatically highlighted as a safety warning when specific sensor data exceed predefined thresholds. The feasibility and accuracy of the proposed sensor data transmission method were experimentally validated by measuring the acceleration of an equal-strength cantilever beam. Additionally, the effectiveness of the safety warning feature was confirmed by measuring the strain on the upper chord of the grid. The test results demonstrate that real-time monitoring data can be accurately transmitted, and safety warnings effectively implemented, providing an intuitive, efficient, and automated operational platform for daily inspections.