The Structural Health Control (SHC) concept is a novel and overarching approach to monitor the strength of a structure online and in realtime over its lifecycle. In the center of the SHC approach is the structural analysis of the monitored part. It provides the information to identify structural parameters as damage indicators. With this information an optimized sensor layout can be defined to monitor the damage indicators in a smart way. The monitoring system is therefore referred as SmartSHM system. This article is about the experimental validation of the SmartSHM concept within the SHC approach. The SmartSHM system is tested at a simply supported thin plate under compressive loading close to ultimate load. In the post-buckling regime bending occurs which causes high tension stresses at the plateÕs surface despite of the compressive loading. These stresses can initiate a crack due to fatigue. Therefore these regions are monitored with a SmartSHM system. Cracks were initiated to prove the functionality of the proposed SHM concept.