An NHS Foundation Trust required a reliable way to monitor the movement of two large chimneys at a district hospital, where concerns had been raised about visible movement during periods of high wind. The Trust needed accurate, continuous data to understand how the structures were behaving, reassure staff, and support longer-term decisions around maintenance, repair or replacement.
Plowman Craven  were appointed to design and deliver a structural monitoring solution capable of capturing continuous three-dimensional movement data, alongside wind speed and direction, within a live hospital environment. The project formed part of a wider estate risk-management strategy, giving the client the evidence needed to assess the structural condition of the chimneys and act decisively where required.
Our solution incorporated Koherent’s structural health monitoring technology, which is designed for real-time, 24/7 monitoring providing  sub-millimetre accuracy.
The core challenge was to determine whether movement in the chimneys was directly correlated with wind conditions, or whether the structures were showing broader instability that could present a risk over time.. There was a requirement for continuous, high-resolution data showing how the chimneys moved, in magnitude and direction under the prevailing environmental conditions.
This was a specialist monitoring project delivered in a sensitive healthcare setting, where works had to be carefully planned to avoid disruption to hospital operations and to maintain public safety at all times. The installation also presented practical constraints, as sensors had to be mounted on tall chimneys using specialist steeplejacks. Daily health and safety checks, wind condition assessments and close coordination with the hospital team were essential before any works could proceed.
We designed and delivered a complete structural monitoring package tailored to the client’s requirements. Rather than relying on periodic manual inspections or limited tilt-based measurements, we proposed a more advanced continuous monitoring solution capable of providing a fuller picture of structural behaviour.
The system used Koherent radio-frequency structural health monitoring technology to capture continuous 3D movement data from both chimneys. This gave the client a far richer dataset than a conventional monitoring regime, allowing them to understand not only lean or displacement, but also oscillation and movement patterns over time. The system delivers continuous structural measurements with sub-millimetre accuracy and is suitable for infrastructure monitoring in all weather conditions.
To strengthen the analysis, the monitoring solution also incorporated a weather station, allowing movement data to be compared directly against wind speed and wind direction. This helped the client and their consultants identify clear correlations between environmental conditions and structural response.
Our service extended beyond specifying the technology. The project was managed as a complete package, including solution design, installation planning, contractor coordination and delivery.
Our approach was differentiated by four key factors: technical innovation, continuous data capture, flexible project management and responsiveness. We did not simply offer monitoring; we offered an evidence-led solution that met the full brief and supported the client’s wider decision-making.
The client received the level of detail they needed to understand chimney behaviour in real time, rather than relying on intermittent checks
By combining structural movement data with wind speed and direction, the Trust and its consultants were able to determine that chimney movement did correlate with environmental conditions and use that evidence to guide next steps.
Once installed, the automated system significantly reduced the need for repeated site visits compared with a more traditional manual monitoring regime, improving efficiency and minimising disruption in a live hospital setting.
By managing the technology, installation and specialist access requirements as one package, we simplified delivery for the client.
The monitoring programme delivered meaningful results during the live project period. The data enabled the client and their structural advisors to make an informed decision regarding one of the chimneys, concluding that movement levels warranted removal.Â
The monitoring system was validated providing clear, defensible evidence to support timely risk reduction and strategic decision-making.
