Development of a Low Cost Tilt Sensing System for Building Health Monitoring
Building Health Monitoring is a modern research area centered on civil engineering structures and innovative sensors. This process relies on raw and dynamic data of building?s tilt / vibration, sampled from period intervals. This can be achieved by using both electronic and mechanical technique
2025-06-28 16:32:02 - Adil Khan
Development of a Low Cost Tilt Sensing System for Building Health Monitoring
Project Area of Specialization Internet of ThingsProject Summary
Building Health Monitoring is a modern research area centered on civil engineering structures and innovative sensors. This process relies on raw and dynamic data of building’s tilt / vibration, sampled from period intervals. This can be achieved by using both electronic and mechanical techniques like strain gauges, LVDT, piezoelectric, and seismometers. MEMS accelerometer have been found to be the most accurate, reliable, and efficient sensing devices for measuring vibrations, calculating tilts, and outputting accelerations. The same acceleration can be used to sense a variety of movements such as tilt, shock and vibrations. This project focuses primarily on the development of a sensing unit which periodically monitors the health of a building, in the most minimal cost. The device is intended to have two modules: a sensing unit and a data collection unit. The sensing unit will sport a MEMS 3-axis accelerometer, a wireless communication module, a microcontroller, and a battery unit. The data collection unit will be comprised of a wireless communication module, GSM module, a microcontroller, and a battery to power all of it. In addition to the tilt measurement, the project also focuses on efficient battery management so that the battery lasts up to 10 years. Further, the array of sensing units will be compact in size for easy consumer installation and will be remotely observed for analysis.
•We are aiming to develop a tilt sensor with the following features:
–10 years battery lifetime
–Higher accuracy than tilt sensors in market
–Higher resolution than tilt sensors in market
–Easy mounting and quick installation in the field
–Wireless Transmitter
–Temperature and Battery Sensing
Project Implementation MethodAt the present time, readings of the values are being extracted from the evaluation board. We have connected Arduino and Evaluation Board through UART (serial communication). The GSM module is presently connected with the Arduino. Data read from the accelerometer is sent to Arduino through serial communication and then to server by the Arduino, using the GSM module. We have tried working with the Dweet API which had a compelling design and was easy to use.
We are working on using the GPRS module to upload data on Dweet. Once we succeed in that, we will move on to working with Firebase.
Benefits of the Project–Lower cost than popular tilt sensors.
–High accuracy
–Similar or higher resolution than RESENSYS Tilt Sensor (one of the best providers of tilt sensors for construction health monitoring)
–Temperature Resistance
Technical Details of Final DeliverableThe primary hardware that has been used for this project includes:
- Evaluation board for obtaining sensor values.
- Accelerometer to measure 3-axis acceleration.
- Arduino Mega 2560 Rev 3 for serial communication.
- SIM800L GSM Module for uploading data to cloud.
- Battery and battery management system.
The basic working of the hardware is represented in the diagram below:
| Item Name | Type | No. of Units | Per Unit Cost (in Rs) | Total (in Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total in (Rs) | 72200 | |||
| EVAL-ADCUP360 (including shipping and customs) | Equipment | 2 | 12000 | 24000 |
| EVAL-ADXL 355-PMDZ (including shipping and customs) | Equipment | 2 | 8000 | 16000 |
| GSM Module (including shiiping and customs) | Equipment | 2 | 2000 | 4000 |
| Arduino Mega 2560 Rev 3 | Equipment | 2 | 2100 | 4200 |
| MPU6050 | Equipment | 2 | 1000 | 2000 |
| WiFi Module | Equipment | 2 | 800 | 1600 |
| Gyroscope Modue | Equipment | 2 | 500 | 1000 |
| LCD Module 16 x 2 | Equipment | 2 | 600 | 1200 |
| Breadboard | Equipment | 4 | 300 | 1200 |
| Battery + Regulator | Equipment | 1 | 5000 | 5000 |
| Connecting wires, headers, potentiometers, resistors, jumper cables | Equipment | 1 | 2000 | 2000 |
| Wooden Box (woodworking shop) | Miscellaneous | 1 | 1500 | 1500 |
| 3D Printing + Laser Cutting of Second Prototype (2 x prototypes) | Miscellaneous | 1 | 5000 | 5000 |
| Taxi (Uber / Careem) + Bike Petrol Bills | Miscellaneous | 1 | 3000 | 3000 |
| Printing | Miscellaneous | 1 | 500 | 500 |