Structural Health Monitoring
as a Service
Safeguarding structural
health.
Anytime. Anywhere.
RISE is the Structural Health Monitoring Service from TÜV AUSTRIA. TÜV AUSTRIA’s experts continuously monitor components in steel and plant engineering under real operating loads. Based on actual operating conditions, we provide our customers with reliable insights into material fatigue and its future progression. Where periodic inspections only provide snapshots, RISE delivers certainty about the actual condition.
Monitoring as a Service
Recurring inspections are snapshots that reflect the actual condition at the time of inspection. What happens between two inspection dates often remains uncertain. Potential crack formation and crack propagation over time are not recorded; maintenance becomes reactive rather than plannable, and downtime risks are difficult to calculate.
With Structural Health Monitoring as a Service, TÜV AUSTRIA closes this gap: continuous measurements at critical areas, fatigue-relevant hotspots, and known cracks on bridges, cranes, and pressure equipment. The recorded measurement data is evaluated using software, and anomalies are professionally assessed by our experts, based on over 50 years of experience with acoustic emission technology.
As a result, you receive:
- A clear and reliable assessment of material fatigue and its future development.
- A trend-based forecast of maximum material utilization based on operating conditions.
- The assurance that operations can be maintained, even under increased risk, until the next scheduled inspection or maintenance activity
- A foundation for predictable maintenance and well-informed investment decisions.
TÜV AUSTRIA’s “RISE” Structural Health Monitoring Service was developed specifically for continuous condition monitoring, from hardware to evaluation algorithms. No comparable system solution is available on the market—patent applications have been filed for key components. TÜV AUSTRIA provides installation, data acquisition, analysis, and reporting as a one-stop service.
System solution behind the service
Acoustic emission monitoring under real operating loads
Changes in the material, including crack formation and crack growth during operation, trigger inaudible ultrasonic waves within the material. This process is referred to in engineering as acoustic emission. Piezoelectric sensors detect these waves during operation and convert them into electrical signals. This allows the material’s response to operational loads to be recorded and objectively evaluated.
Data Transmission and Analysis
The RISE measurement system transmits the pre-processed data via mobile network to the TÜV AUSTRIA data platform. There, it is evaluated using software and analyzed by our experts. Status, trends, and alarms can be viewed at any time via the TÜV AUSTRIA tami Dashboard.
Autonomous operation with a photovoltaic solution
Compact design, low power consumption, and simple installation are specifically tailored for condition monitoring. An autonomous photovoltaic solution enables use even at locations without a grid connection.
Use Cases
- Steel bridges
- Pressure vessels & industrial components
- Cranes
- Steel structures
Many bridges have reached the end of their design life, and increasing traffic loads further exacerbate fatigue stress. Whether known cracks are actively growing or new damage is developing remains unknown between inspections. Uncertainty about the actual condition and unplanned road closures are among the most serious consequences.
RISE continuously monitors material behavior under real traffic conditions, including areas not visually accessible and within the material itself, where a simple visual inspection reaches its limits. Active fatigue processes are detected, damage trends are analyzed, and the remaining service life of the material is predicted based on these trends. Decision-makers receive a data-driven basis for decision-making regarding the most critical hotspots and a reliable foundation for continued operation, rehabilitation, or new construction.
If material defects are detected during a periodic inspection, operators face a choice between immediate shutdown and continued operation with unknown risk. Conventional testing methods often require full scaffolding of the structure, removal of insulation, or taking the structure out of service. In some cases, these inspections involve significant risks to personnel and yet still provide only a snapshot of the current condition.
RISE supports the optimal utilization of the remaining service life through continuous activity assessment during ongoing operation. This safely bridges the period until the planned repair or replacement without interrupting production.
Progressive damage is detected early and automatically reported in the event of critical developments. Higher diagnostic value, lower effort, and increased safety for inspection personnel.
Cyclic lifting loads lead to the accumulation of fatigue damage on welds and running surfaces. Conventional inspection methods require downtime and difficult access at great heights. Unplanned failures disrupt operations and result in significant economic consequences.
RISE detects crack activity and damage progression directly during operation, without interruption. Measurement data is correlated with lifting operations, and critical hotspots are reliably monitored. Operators receive a reliable basis for maintenance planning, service life assessment, and investment decisions.
Areas of steel structures subject to fatigue are often not adequately assessable using conventional methods, whether due to limited access, ongoing operations, or the limitations of periodic visual inspections.
RISE is designed for use on various steel structures. Where known damage, areas of concern, or fatigue-relevant hotspots must be continuously monitored, RISE provides a measurement-based condition assessment without interrupting operations.
Contact us! Together, we’ll determine whether and how RISE can be used for your application.
Your Path to RISE
- Initial consultation: Together, we assess your situation and define the appropriate solution.
- On-site analysis: Our experts determine the optimal monitoring points and sensor positions.
- Installation: Quick installation without interrupting operations.
- Condition Monitoring: Round-the-clock monitoring with regular reports and automatic alerts.
- Final report: Condition assessment , trend analysis, and concrete recommendations for action as a solid foundation for your next steps.
Resources
Whitepaper: Pressure Vessel Monitoring in Operation
When is a pressure vessel still safe to operate? Continuous monitoring gives operators a reliable answer, directly during ongoing operation.
The whitepaper covers:
- Early detection of damage before failure occurs
- Safe continued operation until the planned shutdown
- Data-based risk assessment
Whitepaper: Bridge Monitoring & Crack Surveillance
A lot remains unknown between two inspections. RISE detects crack growth directly in operation, under real operating loads.
The whitepaper covers:
- Monitoring of critical hotspots and known cracks during operation
- Trend-based prognosis of remaining service life
- How data-based decisions prevent unplanned operational disruptions
Check certificate
I am looking for a solution but do not know its title.
