Project Overview

Location: Delft, the Netherlands
Start:  January 2025
Type: Crack Monitoring and Cultural Heritage

Located in the heart of Delft, the Buccaneer building carries over 600 years of Dutch history. Originally established as a St. Clara monastery in 1415, the building later served as an artillery warehouse from 1570 onwards. Today, this historic structure hosts an innovation hub for energy and maritime startups. When small cracks appeared in the building's historic gateway, the property managers sought a proactive monitoring solution to protect this cultural landmark.

Monitoring Solution

The preservation of this historic structure required a comprehensive monitoring approach to track potential structural changes. The solution combines two key monitoring technologies:

1 TotaLite Sensor positioned strategically to monitor the crack growth at two critical locations of the crack.

4 Move Solutions tilt sensors installed on both sides of the crack (two on each side) to detect any wall inclination.

This configuration allows for:

• Precise measurement of crack growth

• Real-time monitoring of wall stability

• Early warning system for structural changes

First Observations

The initial month of monitoring has provided valuable insights into the building's behavior. The system detected natural daily movement patterns in the crack width, corresponding to temperature fluctuations - a normal phenomenon in historic structures.

Importantly, no concerning trends or movements have triggered the early warning system.

Looking Ahead

The monitoring system continues to provide real-time insights into the structural health of this historic building. This case demonstrates how modern technology can be seamlessly integrated into heritage preservation, offering property managers the data they need for informed decision-making about maintenance and preservation.