Sensor Applications in Mass Timber Buildings: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Mass timber is increasingly adopted as a sustainable construction material, closely aligned with circular economy principles that emphasize durability, resource efficiency, and extended service life. However, the structural and environmental performance of mass timber buildings remains strongly influenced by moisture exposure, environmental variability, and time-dependent material behavior, necessitating reliable monitoring strategies. This study presents a systematic review of sensor-based monitoring applications in mass timber buildings through a PRISMA- guided literature review combined with scientometric and thematic analyses. In total, 64 publications published between 2015 and 2025 were systematically examined to identify  prevailing research trends, dominant sensing technologies, and primary application domains. The results reveal a rapidly expanding research landscape, with moisture monitoring and vibration- based structural health monitoring (SHM) emerging as the most extensively investigated areas, particularly in cross-laminated timber systems. While a broad range of sensing technologies has been deployed, challenges related to sensor installation, calibration, environmental coupling, and data interpretation continue to limit cross-study comparability and large-scale implementation. The findings highlight the need for more standardized, integrated, and field-ready monitoring frameworks to support durability assessment, performance-based design, and lifecycle management of mass timber buildings.