_applied sciences_  
_Editorial_  
**Innovative Methods and Materials in Structural Health Monitoring of Civil Infrastructures**  
**[PERSON] \({}^{\star}\)\({}^{\copyright}\) and [PERSON] \({}^{\copyright}\)**  
Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Calabria, Ponte Bucci, Cubo 44/ A,  
87036 Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
\({}^{\star}\) Correspondence: [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
Starting from the early years of the 21 st century, the problem of monitoring the physical-chemical-mechanical conditions of structures and infrastructures for civil use began to be thought in a significantly different way than in the last century. Since the appearance of the most common materials for civil use, in particular, reinforced concrete and steel, the structures made with them have been thought of almost as having an infinite life and subjected to checks only occasionally and, almost always, after traumatic events that could have strongly damaged them, such as earthquakes or landslides. In the last twenty years, however, it has been realized that these materials have a long life but not indefinitely long. It has begun to be understood more and more that, as with many materials of the past, for example wood, carrying out correct and methodical maintenance is important and can greatly extend the useful life of a structure or infrastructure. This involves enormous economic gain for society, by also reducing environmental pollution, caused by demolished materials and/or materials needed for new buildings. The constructions of the last century, however, are much more complex than the relatively simple masonry and wood structures of the years prior to the industrial revolution of the 19 th century, although some exceptions were present at the beginning of the 19 th century [1]. Skyscrapers, suspension and cable-stayed bridges, dams, particular industrial buildings, etc. they do not have easy maintenance and, often, the points where the degradation is concentrated are not immediately identifiable, also in consideration of the different and complex types of load to which they are subjected, often of a dynamic nature such as vehicular traffic, earthquakes, wind, etc., as well as environmental effects (particularly corrosive atmospheres, humid environments, etc.). For large structures, especially publicly owned ones, an attempt was made to define a periodic control and monitoring plan, with maintenance interventions also scheduled. Despite this, both due to phenomena of scarce funding and bad use of funds, this programming has often not been correctly implemented and there have also been collapses that have produced numerous human victims (for those who know and frequent Italy, it is sadly famous the collapse of the Morandi bridge in Genoa in August 2018). For smaller structures or for those of private property, then, the maintenance of this programming is even more complicated and difficult to perform, also because the owners do not always have the skills to perceive the danger that a damaged structure can entail. All the arguments previously described have led to the modern concept of structural health and the need for its monitoring, similarly to what happens for human health. Indeed, considering the rapid and incisive diffusion of the concept, the acronym SHM has been introduced to briefly indicate Structural Health Monitoring, which is an interdisciplinary subject that incorporates synergistic knowledge and experience technologies in civil, mechanical, control and computer engineering. In the first instance SHM foresees the detection of any structural damage, alerting the technicians in charge of maintenance to the need for inspection and repair and/or reinforcement. Very often, SHM systems stop at this level, but more and more frequently they begin to predict the localization and quantification of damage.