Monitoring of the St. Paul Lutheran Church Using a Wireless Sensor Network during Foundation Stabilization

Preserving significant buildings not only saves the structure, but it also preserves the history of the United States for future generations. The availability of a fast and cost effective monitoring system could help persuade more people to rehabilitate historic structures rather than building a new structure in its place. The main goals of this study are to develop a wireless sensor network (WSN) for the specific application of historic structures and to conduct a feasibility test in the field. The structure considered is a historic masonry church with a timber-framed roof. During the construction process, the foundations along the exterior walls are underpinned and the floors are removed and replaced with a floating concrete slab, topped with stone. Upon completion of the structural foundation work, it can be seen that the WSN is an effective instrument for monitoring of historic structures.