Purpose: To examine the range of fibre-optic sensors available for monitoring the integrity of buildings and civil engineering structures. Design/methodology/approach: Explains the need for structural monitoring and reviews the types of fibre-optic sensors. Concentrating on elongation and temperature sensing, shows how each technology works, which companies supply the products, and gives an overview of their technical specifications. Findings: Fibre optics are able to provide integrated, single-point and distributed sensor systems. The fibre is a communication channel as well as a sensor, and in some systems, carries highly multiplexed data over considerable distances to a central monitoring station. The take-up of this technology in structural sensing is helped by appropriate packaging that assists attachment to buildings. Durability and measurement stability give a continuity of measurement that was not previously possible. Originality/value: An introduction to the range of sensors applicable to structural monitoring, of general interest to scientists, but particularly to civil and constructional engineers. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
