Long-term monitoring of a historic icon
The Thiepval Memorial, an imposing monument commemorating the missing of the Battle of the Somme, is subject to complex environmental factors that affect the durability of its concrete structure . Commissioned by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), SANACON is conducting a multi-year monitoring campaign to carefully monitor the condition of the concrete slab in the basement .
Our approach: Real-time data for proactive management. Since February 2021, SANACON has installed an advanced monitoring system in the monument’s basement . The goal is to understand the interaction between environmental conditions and the internal condition of the concrete .
Key aspects of this monitoring project:
Advanced sensors: T-RH sensors have been placed at strategic locations to measure both the ambient temperature and humidity, as well as the conditions inside the concrete, at the level of the reinforcement .
Cloud-based data analysis: Measurement data is sent to the cloud in real time via a central ‘reporter’, allowing SANACON to continuously analyse the data without having to be on-site .
Understanding saturation: Measurements over a four-year period (2021-2025) show that the concrete slab is in an almost permanently saturated state, with an internal relative humidity of 100% .
Corrosion prevention: The collected data provides essential insight into the risk of carbonation and reinforcement corrosion, which is crucial for the preservation of this historical heritage .
Result: Thanks to this continuous monitoring, the manager has objective data to make informed decisions about future repairs and protective measures. This project illustrates how SANACON uses modern technology to preserve monumental heritage.
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