Timing was a critical challenge. Sensor installation had to be precisely scheduled to align with construction milestones, ensuring specialists were on-site when needed. The installation of sensors had to be carefully sequenced with construction activities to avoid delays and ensure the integrity of the data collection system.  To navigate this complexity, SMEC collaborated with suppliers to coordinate installation windows, factoring in visa lead times for international specialists and adjusting to shifting construction timelines.

Intermittent power disruptions in the region posed another challenge. To maintain continuous data logging, the team explored solutions such as uninterrupted power supply (UPS) systems and backup generators, ensuring reliable sensor operation. Ensuring long-term resilience for the system remains a priority.

Safeguarding the sensors was equally critical, necessitating strategic placement and protection. On an active construction site, these delicate instruments faced risks from worker activity and environmental exposure. Construction activities can affect measurements, so we had to find small windows when minimal construction was taking place to isolate environment measurements from construction induced measurements.

To balance protection and performance, the design team strategically placed sensors in shielded yet effective locations. Meanwhile, specialists trained on-site personnel in handling, monitoring, and maintaining the system, ensuring long-term functionality once the bridge is operational.

Leveraging insights from complex data

Data from these sensors will be transmitted to a cloud-based dashboard, enabling engineers to access real-time insights from anywhere. SMEC’s multidisciplinary expertise transforms raw data into actionable insights that will help the client ensure the bridge is behaving as expected.

During construction, the system tracks pylon movements, providing insights into how thermal and wind effects influence their position. This allows engineers to compensate for these movements in real time, ensuring the pylons remain within the required vertical tolerance.

Once in operation, predictive analytics anticipate risks such as wind-induced dynamics, enabling proactive interventions before issues escalate. Real-time modelling further supports data-driven decision-making, optimising maintenance schedules and refining construction methods for future projects.

SMEC and its partners are ensuring that the Msikaba Bridge’s structural health monitoring system is not only used for real-time analysis but also builds long-term operational capacity for South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL). Through training and knowledge-sharing, SANRAL operators will gain the skills to independently manage and maintain the system, reinforcing long-term local capacity. The goal is not just to provide technology but to empower operators with the knowledge and skills to use it sustainably.

Advancing Research: Partnerships for Progress

The impact of the Msikaba Bridge is actively shaping the future of structural engineering. SANRAL is collaborating with academic institutions to open access to IoT data from the bridge, enabling researchers to explore new frontiers in structural analysis. This data allows universities to study complex structural behaviours, advance predictive modelling, and refine engineering best practices for future mega structures. This collaboration highlights the potential for mega structures to serve as living laboratories, setting new benchmarks for infrastructure projects to drive academic research and industry innovation.

Smarter and Safer: The Future of IoT in Mega Structures

The Msikaba Bridge offers a glimpse into the evolving role of IoT in infrastructure, reinforcing global trends in digital transformation. AI-driven predictive maintenance is rapidly gaining traction, with digital twin technology already transforming major transport and infrastructure projects worldwide.

Digital twins create real-time virtual replicas of structures, allowing engineers to simulate different scenarios and anticipate maintenance needs before problems occur. Self-regulating smart sensor networks are shifting asset management from reactive maintenance to fully automated, condition-based interventions. This approach is already being trialled in high-value assets such as solar farms and high-speed rail networks.

IoT is also emerging as a critical tool for climate resilience. Advanced monitoring systems are helping engineers design adaptive structures that respond dynamically to temperature fluctuations, seismic activity, and extreme weather events. As climate change intensifies, these innovations will be essential for future-proofing mega structures like Msikaba Bridge.

IoT is unlocking new possibilities for building safer, more resilient infrastructure. Msikaba Bridge exemplifies its transformative potential in real-world applications. By integrating cutting-edge technology with SMEC’s engineering expertise, this project delivers real-time safety and performance monitoring for SANRAL. Meanwhile, research partnerships with universities will help shape the next generation of smarter, more sustainable infrastructure.

Meet the author

Warrick de Kock
Function Manager, Structures, Infrastructure + Energy

Warrick de Kock is a Technical Specialist in Structural Engineering, with over a decade of experience in the design and construction of complex bridge structures. Holding a Master of Science in Structural Engineering and Materials from the University of Cape Town, he has worked on prestigious infrastructure projects across South Africa, Australia, the UAE, India, and the Philippines. His expertise spans cable-stayed, extradosed, and prestressed concrete bridges, as well as dynamic and seismic design. A key contributor to the Msikaba Bridge project, Warrick has played a pivotal role in integrating IoT technology for real-time structural health monitoring. Passionate about innovation and knowledge-sharing, he actively contributes to industry research and has presented at global engineering conferences.

To read more about the Msikaba Bridge project, click here.