The vital role of civil engineering is to enable the development of modern cities and establish foundations for smart and sustainable urban environments of the future. Advanced sensing technologies are among the instrumental methods used to enhance the performance of civil engineering infrastructures and address the multifaceted challenges of future cities. Through this study, we discussed the shortcomings of traditional sensors in four primary civil engineering domains: construction, energy, water, and transportation. Then, we investigated and summarized the potential of quantum sensors to contribute to and revolutionize the management of civil engineering infrastructures. For the water sector, advancements are expected in monitoring water quality and pressure in water and sewage infrastructures. In the energy sector, quantum sensors may facilitate renewables integration and improve grid stability and buildings’ energy efficiency. The most promising progress in the construction field is the ability to identify subsurface density and underground structures. In transportation, these sensors create many fresh avenues for real-time traffic management and smart mobility solutions. As one of the first-in-the-field studies offering the adoption of quantum sensors across four primary domains of civil engineering, this research establishes the basis for the discourse about the scope and timeline for deploying quantum sensors to real-world applications towards the quantum transformation of civil engineering.
The vital role of civil engineering is to enable the development of modern cities and establish foundations for smart and sustainable urban environments of the future. Advanced sensing technologies are among the instrumental methods used to enhance the performance of civil engineering infrastructures and address the multifaceted challenges of future cities. Through this study, we discussed the shortcomings of traditional sensors in four primary civil engineering domains: construction, energy, water, and transportation. Then, we investigated and summarized the potential of quantum sensors to contribute to and revolutionize the management of civil engineering infrastructures. For the water sector, advancements are expected in monitoring water quality and pressure in water and sewage infrastructures. In the energy sector, quantum sensors may facilitate renewables integration and improve grid stability and buildings’ energy efficiency. The most promising progress in the construction field is the ability to identify subsurface density and underground structures. In transportation, these sensors create many fresh avenues for real-time traffic management and smart mobility solutions. As one of the first-in-the-field studies offering the adoption of quantum sensors across four primary domains of civil engineering, this research establishes the basis for the discourse about the scope and timeline for deploying quantum sensors to real-world applications towards the quantum transformation of civil engineering.
Abstract. Quantum sensing technologies provide future cities with unimaginable techniques for solving their complex problems. Quantum sensors, through the utilization of quantum effects such as superposition, entanglement, and tunneling, can provide an unmatched level of sensitivity, precision, and durability against traditional sensing technologies. This study explores the potential applications of quantum sensing in four critical urban infrastructure domains: water, energy, transport, and construction. Throughout this study, we determine the most promising quantum sensing technologies for each domain. Besides, we discuss the technical progress of these sensors and the advantages they have in comparison with classical devices, as well as the organizational issues cities can face when implementing these sensors. Our results indicate that quantum sensing will be a critical enabler of future smart cities, generating advanced monitoring, control, and decision-making capabilities across various sectors. Nevertheless, taking advantage of this potential will demand the close partnership of cities, industry, academia, and policymakers to guide the complicated adoption process.
Quantum sensing (QS) exploits non-classical physical phenomena for advanced measurement, with growing relevance to infrastructure monitoring. Despite laboratory-level progress, real-world deployment remains uneven, shaped by integration complexity, digital connectivity, and technological maturity. This article presents a systematic review of QS technologies focused on deployability within infrastructure monitoring architectures. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, searches were conducted across six bibliographic databases, covering the 2017–2025 period. An initial dataset of 3,636 records was retrieved and reduced through a multi-stage screening pipeline which progressively narrowed the corpus to a final set of 80 peer-reviewed publications retained for detailed analysis. Studies were classified by QS modality, readout architecture, physical platform, and application domain encompassing geophysical and subsurface monitoring, civil and structural health monitoring, transport systems, and urban and environmental sensing. A cross-modality performance comparison was conducted using reported quantitative metrics including sensitivity, resolution, and bandwidth to benchmark quantum sensor technologies against classical sensing baselines, contextualizing their deployment feasibility. Readiness for real-world deployment was assessed using an adapted quantum technology readiness level framework, emphasizing system-level integration, operational sustainability, and compatibility with internet of things enabled and digitally connected monitoring infrastructures. Results reveal heterogeneous maturity trajectories across quantum sensor subtypes and highlight the critical roles of hybrid quantum–classical architectures, edge processing, and secure data integration for scalable deployment. This review positions QS as an enabling component within digitally integrated monitoring systems and provides a realistic perspective on the conditions under which quantum sensor technologies can contribute effectively to future infrastructure monitoring applications.
Quantum computing is expected to offer solutions to computational problems that are otherwise computationally intractable. Although the core technology is still being developed, quantum-inspired computing already has been offering practical advantages for several computationally challenging problems. Despite the promising potential of both quantum computing and quantum-inspired computing, applications in civil engineering remain underexplored. This study aims to lay the foundation for future adoption by introducing the fundamental principles of quantum computing and quantum-inspired computing and by conducting a multivocal literature review. The review provides insights into the current research landscape in civil engineering and offers a detailed analysis of potential use cases and application areas. The findings are expected to serve as a foundation for guiding future research endeavors and practical deployments of quantum computing and quantum-inspired computing in civil engineering, as these technologies continue to mature. • Introduction to quantum and quantum-inspired computing (QC & QiC). • Identifying the pros and cons of QC & QiC given civil engineering (CE) requirements. • Presenting a multivocal literature review on QC & QiC for CE. • Recommending high-potential use cases and QC & QiC approaches in CE • Identifying research topics to advance QC & QiC in CE for real-world impact.
Civil engineering problems are inherently complex and computationally intensive, often requiring advanced methods to analyze large-scale systems and nonlinear interactions. Addressing these challenges requires next-generation computing paradigms that can deliver greater speed and efficiency. Quantum computing, which exploits quantum–mechanical principles such as superposition and entanglement, offers the potential to process information in ways that far surpass classical computing, enabling faster and more accurate solutions to intricate engineering problems. This emerging technology could transform multiple areas within civil engineering—for example, materials science, project management, structural analysis, and design. Continued research and development in this direction may usher the discipline into a new era of computational innovation. Although quantum computing remains at an early stage of maturity, it has already attracted significant attention from researchers across diverse civil-engineering subfields. Fully realizing its potential will require overcoming major technical and practical challenges. This article presents an in-depth review of quantum computing applications in civil engineering, highlighting current progress, advantages, and limitations. It also outlines promising directions for future research to guide the evolution of this rapidly developing interdisciplinary field.
Abstract On its revolutionary threshold, quantum sensing is creating potentially transformative opportunities to exploit intricate quantum mechanical phenomena in new ways to make ultrasensitive measurements of multiple parameters. Concurrently, growing interest in quantum sensing has created opportunities for its deployment to improve processes pertaining to energy production, distribution, and consumption. Safe and secure utilization of energy is dependent upon addressing challenges related to material stability and function, secure monitoring of infrastructure, and accuracy in detection and measurement. A summary of well‐established and emerging quantum sensing materials and techniques, as well as the corresponding sensing platforms that have been developed for their deployment is provided here. Specifically, the enhancement of existing advanced sensing technologies with quantum methods and materials is focused on, enabling the realization of an unprecedented level of sensitivity, placing an emphasis on relevance to the energy industry. The review concludes with a discussion on high‐value applications of quantum sensing to the energy sector, as well as remaining barriers to sensor deployment.
Quantum computing is expected to offer solutions to computational problems that are otherwise practically intractable. While the core technology is still developing, quantum-inspired computing already offers practical advantages for several computationally challenging problems. Despite the promising potential of both technologies, applications in civil engineering remain underexplored. This study aims to lay the foundation for future adoption by introducing the fundamental principles of quantum computing and quantum-inspired computing and by conducting a systematic multivocal literature review. The review provides insights into the current research landscape in civil engineering and offers a detailed analysis of potential use cases and application areas. The findings are expected to serve as a foundation for guiding future research endeavors and practical deployments of quantum computing and quantum-inspired computing in civil engineering, as the technologies continue to mature.