Smartphones in Structural Monitoring: Methods, Applications, and Challenges

Smartphones equipped with microelectromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometers have recently attracted significant attention in the field of structural health monitoring (SHM) as low-cost, widely available, and portable sensing devices. This review paper investigates the role of these devices in recording structural vibrations and extracting key dynamic parameters, including natural frequency, natural period, damping ratio, and vibration mode shapes. A systematic literature review was conducted through searches in reputable scientific databases using keywords related to smartphone-based accelerometry and structural vibrations. Studies published between ۲۰۱۵ and ۲۰۲۶ were selected, screened, and analyzed. Inclusion criteria required direct use of smartphone sensors, reporting of quantitative dynamic parameters, and comparison with reference-grade sensing systems. The reviewed studies indicate that smartphones are capable of estimating the natural frequencies of various structural systems, including bridges, masonry buildings, steel frames, and cable-supported structures, with generally good agreement compared to reference-grade sensing systems. Structural natural periods can also be identified with reasonable accuracy under controlled experimental and field conditions. Moreover, the simultaneous use of multiple smartphones enables the reconstruction of primary mode shapes with satisfactory accuracy. Common signal processing approaches include the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), operational modal analysis, data compression techniques, and deep learning-based algorithms. Reported applications include damage detection through frequency shifts, crack identification in structural components, bridge monitoring under traffic-induced excitation, and rapid post-earthquake assessment. Despite these capabilities, several challenges remain, including low-frequency noise, calibration requirements, limited sampling rates, and sensitivity to sensor placement conditions. Overall, smartphones serve as effective complementary tools alongside professional sensing systems, offering strong potential for the development of low-cost, data-driven, and crowdsourced structural health monitoring systems, and are expected to play an important role in future infrastructure monitoring frameworks.

کلیدواژه ها:

Smartphone accelerometer ، structural natural period ، natural frequency ، structural health monitoring ، damage detection.