Enhancing structural health monitoring data management and damage detection in digital twins with blockchain and smart contracts

Abstract

This paper explores the integration of Blockchain technology into Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) to enhance data traceability, integrity, and automation in infrastructure asset management. Traditional SHM approaches, including Digital Twin-based systems, often face limitations related to data tampering, sensor unreliability, and the lack of transparent and verifiable data workflows. To address these challenges, the SHERPA framework is proposed. SHERPA leverages decentralized storage via the InterPlanetary File System and three Smart Contracts dedicated to data validation, anomaly flagging, and automated workflow execution. Rather than focusing on the structural interpretation of data, SHERPA establishes a secure and auditable backbone for SHM data governance. A prototype implementation on the Canalone Viaduct in Italy demonstrated the feasibility of the system, showcasing automated response to threshold violations and immutable data registration. The framework proved effective in enhancing transparency, traceability, and stakeholder confidence, positioning SHERPA as a promising enabler of more trustworthy and accountable SHM systems.