Construction site with baseline measurement and wireless monitoring of the neighbouring building

The neighbouring building in view, from the baseline measurement on.

Excavation, ramming and demolition affect adjacent buildings. Construction site monitoring tracks cracks, vibration to DIN 4150-3 and settlement in real time and seamlessly documents the condition over the whole construction phase, as the basis for condition surveys and evidence protection.

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Benefits for construction & development

Build safely without losing sight of the neighbourhood

Excavation, ramming, vibratory compaction and demolition affect adjacent buildings. Accompanying monitoring detects critical effects early and documents the condition over the whole construction phase.

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De-escalate neighbour disputes

If a neighbour claims damage, the data decides. Fully documented readings show objectively what actually happened during the construction phase, and take the ground away from arguments.

Standards-compliant vibration assessment

We assess vibrations against the guide values of DIN 4150-3. If the values for the respective building class are reached, the system triggers an automatic alert before damage occurs.

Baseline measurement as the starting point

Before the first intervention, we record the baseline condition of the neighbouring building. This baseline measurement is the objective reference point against which every later change can be clearly read.

Wireless, without mains power

The sensors are fitted without cabling and without mains power and transmit the data via NB-IoT. This lets even a third party’s neighbouring building be included without structural intervention.

Over the construction phase

Accompanying monitoring from the first to the last reading

From the baseline measurement before construction starts, through real-time monitoring during the works, to complete documentation after completion.

Construction site shell structure, surroundings for a baseline measurement and vibration monitoring

Before construction starts

Baseline measurement as an objective starting point

Before the first excavator arrives, we record the condition of adjacent buildings: existing cracks, tilt and position. This baseline measurement is the reference against which all later values are measured, and the foundation for the condition survey your expert builds on.

Crack sensor for monitoring crack widths on the neighbouring building

During the construction phase

Cracks, vibration and settlement in real time

Sensors continuously monitor crack widths, peak particle velocity and tilt. If a value approaches the defined threshold, your site management and the responsible staff are alerted immediately, around the clock and without manual on-site checks.

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Deformation sensor for settlement and tilt monitoring

After completion

Complete documentation of the construction phase

All readings come together as a traceable time series. After completion, a solid documentation is available that proves the condition of the neighbouring building over the whole construction process, from the baseline measurement to the last reading.

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Vibration to DIN 4150-3

Thresholds depend on the neighbouring building

The same vibration is uncritical for an industrial building and already too much for a particularly sensitive building. DIN 4150-3 grades the guide values by building class. Choose a class and trigger a ramming impact.

  • Assessed by building class

    The right guide value applies to every neighbouring building, not one flat value for all.

  • Alert before the damage

    If peak particle velocity approaches the threshold, an alert is triggered immediately.

  • Seamlessly recorded

    Every spike stays documented and traceable as a time series.

Peak particle velocity

Simulated ramming impact, peak 8 mm/s

0 5 10 15 20 mm/s Time Guide value 5 mm/s

Guide value exceeded

Alert sent to site management

Guide values apply at the foundation in the lower frequency range (1 to 10 Hz) and rise towards higher frequencies. The illustration is indicative, the measurement concept is defined on a project basis.

What we measure

The right measuring quantities for your construction project

Depending on the construction method and neighbouring building, we combine the right sensors into a measurement concept on one platform.

Crack widths

Existing and newly forming cracks on the neighbouring building are captured continuously and to the millimetre.

Vibration

Peak particle velocity to DIN 4150-3, assessed according to the building class of the respective neighbouring building.

Settlement & tilt

Tilt sensors and distance lasers capture the smallest shifts and settlements in real time.

Moisture, optional

If needed, we add moisture and concrete monitoring on adjacent components.

These measuring quantities concern the neighbouring building. For your own component, there is the construction phase before that: temperature, maturity and strength in fresh concrete turn the formwork removal date into a calculation instead of a guess, which concrete maturity monitoring takes care of.

From the measurement concept to operation

Your monitoring, complete from one source

You get a complete solution, not separate parts: from concept through installation to operation and alerting, with one point of contact over the whole construction period.

01

Concept

Together with you, we define which neighbouring buildings are included, which measuring quantities and thresholds apply, and how the monitoring fits into the construction schedule and approval.

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02

Installation

Sensors and gateways are fitted without cabling and without mains power and commissioned with a documented baseline measurement.

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03

Maintenance and operation

We keep the technology running over the whole construction period, check data quality and adjust thresholds to the construction schedule as needed.

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04

Monitoring and alerting

Values come together continuously in the platform; site management and responsible staff are alerted immediately when thresholds are exceeded.

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From practice

Bridges in Neu-Ulm during construction works

In a railway environment, we accompanied existing and auxiliary bridges through the construction phase: tilt sensors captured the smallest changes in structural behaviour, distance lasers monitored settlement in the vertical plane. The data flowed in real time via a gateway and gave the engineers a solid basis for fast decisions.

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Wireless monitoring on a bridge in Neu-Ulm during the construction phase

Baseline measurement

before construction starts

Measurement rate

set by task

Settlement

via distance laser

Tilt

via sensor

Transmission

gateway on site

Documentation

seamless time series

Matching sensors

This sensor technology accompanies the construction measure

Vibration, settlement and crack width on the neighbouring building come from these devices.

Vibration sensor SHAKEdot, blue housing with antenna, cut outProductsVibration sensor SHAKEdotThree-axis vibration measurement to DIN 4150-3, autonomous for up to six months.Tilt sensor for structural health monitoring, cut outProductsTilt sensorTilt and settlement of load-bearing components from 0.001°, gateway integrated.Infrasolute crack sensor solar, cut outProductsCrack sensorCrack width with 0.003 mm resolution, available with solar, long-life battery or mains power.
All products

Data platform

All readings on one platform

The sensors transmit their readings wirelessly to the data platform, where they are evaluated, documented and continuously checked against your thresholds.

  • AI-assisted data analysis
  • User-focused reporting
  • Continuous evaluation
  • Warning and alarm thresholds
  • Alerts by email and text message
  • Remote access around the clock
More on monitoring & alerting
Monitoring platform Sample view
Reading history within limits
Warning threshold
  • AI-assisted data analysis Condition within limits
  • User-focused reporting Report ready
  • Alerting Thresholds monitored

Condition surveys for your construction project

Tell us about the construction measure and the neighbouring building. We align the baseline measurement, thresholds to DIN 4150-3 and the documentation with your construction schedule.

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Benedikt Seuss Benedikt Seuss

Basis for decisions

What you can decide on the construction site

In the construction process it comes down to vibration, settlement and the question of who is liable for a crack in the neighbouring building.

  1. 01

    Adapt the construction method instead of risking damage

    If vibration exceeds the guide values to DIN 4150-3, the method must change. The measurement says when and by how much.

  2. 02

    Prove or rebut neighbours’ claims

    A baseline measurement before construction starts and a complete trend afterwards clarify whether a crack originates from the construction measure.

  3. 03

    Keep building or stop

    If the neighbouring building moves, the decision on a construction stop is a matter of hours. Automatic alerting creates the time for it.

  4. 04

    Condition surveys without permanent presence

    Instead of regularly bringing an engineering firm to the site, the sensor technology documents continuously and traceably.

  5. 05

    Secure construction time and claims

    A documented trend shortens the discussion when claims arise after completion.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions from construction & development

Why is a baseline measurement before construction starts so important?
The baseline measurement records the condition of the neighbouring building before your works begin. Only with this reference point can it later be objectively assessed whether a change genuinely resulted from the construction measure. Without a baseline measurement, every discussion about existing and new cracks remains a matter of interpretation.
Which standard applies to vibration in construction?
DIN 4150-3 is the German standard for the effect of vibration on structures and applies to the assessment of vibration on structures. It lists guide values for peak particle velocity, graded by building class and frequency. Our monitoring assesses the measured values against these guide values and alerts before critical ranges are reached.
What happens if neighbours claim damage after the construction phase?
Then the data decides. Because the condition is fully documented from the baseline measurement to the end of construction, it can be objectively traced which effects actually occurred and whether thresholds were respected. That creates clarity for everyone involved and takes the ground away from unfounded claims.
Does the sensor technology on a third party’s building need mains power or cables?
No. The sensors operate wirelessly and without mains power, data transmission runs over NB-IoT on the mobile network. This lets even a third party’s neighbouring building be included without structural intervention and with minimal effort.
How quickly am I alerted to critical values?
The sensors measure continuously, several times a second for vibration. If a predefined threshold is reached, the system triggers an automatic alert to site management and responsible staff. This lets you adjust the construction process before an effect becomes damage.
Is the monitoring also suitable for a railway environment?
Yes. For construction works in a railway environment, we align the measurement concept additionally with the infrastructure operator’s requirements, for example the relevant Deutsche Bahn guidelines. In Neu-Ulm we permanently monitored auxiliary and existing bridges during construction works with tilt sensors and distance lasers.

Project inquiry

Secure your construction phase

Tell us about the construction project and the neighbouring building. You will receive a solid initial assessment shortly, including suitable measuring quantities, thresholds and sensors.

+49 6742 8599600 DE +41 41 670 00 11 CH [email protected]
Project inquiry