EUROSTRUCT 2025 – Mini-Symposia - EUROSTRUCT

by EuroStruct 2018
7 months ago
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Mini-Symposia

In addition to the themes of EuroStruct2025 for which you can submit your paper(s) within the scope of a General Session, namely:

  • Repair and rehabilitation issues
  • Lifetime performance criteria
  • Maintenance and Management Systems
  • Needs of stakeholders
  • Strategies as to how to incorporate sustainability & climate issues into design, construction, operation, and quality control plans for safety, performance and management
  • Implications and applications of IoT, Sensors, Big Data and AI for quality control

You can also do so for one of the many Mini-Symposia in this event – please send your mini-symposium idea based on the template available here.

A mini-symposium is an excellent location to bring relevant and important people under one roof to discuss, debate and decide on some of the key issues – please take this opportunity to maximise it for the topic you care about.

Please send the mini-symposia applications to eurostruct2025@gmail.com.

MS01 – Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing in Structural Health Monitoring: Recent challenges, applications and future directions <i>Andrej Anžlin, Mirko Kosič, Bertram Richter, Max Herbers and Steffen Marx</i>

Keywords: Fiber Optics, Distributed Strain Sensing (DSS), Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), Bridges, Structural Health Monitoring, Digital Maintenance

Abstract

In recent years, the field of civil infrastructure monitoring has seen advancements, particularly with the adoption of distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) technologies. As critical components of transportation networks, bridges are often subjected to complex and extreme loading conditions and ageing factors. Extending the lifespan of bridges is a growing need that can be supported by continuous and precise structural health monitoring (SHM). Traditional monitoring systems that rely on point sensors, often fail to provide comprehensive coverage of the structure and can be cumbersome to maintain. DFOS offers an alternative approach by enabling the monitoring of multiple physical parameters over extended lengths of the structure with a single optical fiber.

DFOS leverages various backscattering effects, such as Rayleigh, Brillouin, and Raman scattering, to measure strain, temperature, and vibration across the entire length of a fiber optic cable in a distributed manner. This capability allows for a more detailed assessment of a bridge’s condition, including the identification of localized damage that may not be detectable with traditional point sensors and simultaneously changes in structural behavior. In addition, distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) can detect and localize acoustic events along the fiber, making it particularly useful for monitoring dynamic responses and detecting potential issues such as stress corrosion cracking or impact events. These techniques represent a significant leap forward in bridge SHM.

This mini-symposium is dedicated to bring together leading experts and practitioners in the field to share their recent experiences and explore new applications of a DFOS based SHM. The symposium aims to identify practical challenges, technological advancements, and innovative solutions associated with DFOS. Various topics, including the deployment of DFOS systems in various bridge and other structural types, integrating DFOS data with existing SHM frameworks, and case studies highlighting successful applications and lessons learned should be covered. Additionally, the symposium will address the potential of combining DFOS with other emerging technologies or approaches, such as machine learning and digital twins, to further enhance monitoring capabilities.

The insights gained from this symposium are crucial to moving the field forward in developing standardized guidelines, recommendations, and best practices for the use of DFOS in SHM for bridges and other structures (e.g. tunnels, renewable energy sector). As the adoption of DFOS continues to grow, it is essential to establish clear procedures for sensor installation, data interpretation, and system maintenance to ensure consistent and reliable monitoring outcomes. The discussions and findings will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the benefits and limitations of DFOS in SHM.


MS02 – Advances in Vibration-based Structural Health Monitoring for Bridge Structures <i>Zhenkun Li, Kun Feng, Weiwei Lin, Jankowski Łukasz, and Jennifer Schooling</i>

Keywords: Structural Health Monitoring, Bridge Engineering, Vibrations, Damage Detection, Drive-by

Abstract

Infrastructures such as bridges are one essential component in current transportation systems in Europe. Many of these bridges were constructed after World War II and have now been in service for over half a century. Their outdated design specifications may not adequately accommodate contemporary operational conditions, especially given the ever-increasing traffic loads. Additionally, future climate changes will exacerbate the pressure on bridge performance, leading to accelerated deterioration and aging, which pose significant threats to the bridge’s safe operation. Regular assessments of bridge conditions and appropriate maintenance measures can greatly extend the bridge’s remaining service life and circumvent the costs associated with replacing entire structures.

Traditionally, bridge condition assessments have relied heavily on the visual inspections of experienced engineers. However, low work efficiency and rising labor costs in Europe make this approach increasingly expensive in engineering applications. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) can significantly improve the efficiency of data collection and support decision-making in bridge maintenance. Among various strategies, the vibration-based method has gained considerable attention from researchers worldwide due to its high efficiency, non-destructive nature, and effective applications. By continuously collecting vibration data from bridges using contact sensors, their health can be analyzed and monitored in real time. Since sensors are directly installed on the bridges, this approach is often referred to as the direct method. Recent advancements have also highlighted the use indirect methods, which uses vehicle responses for bridge health monitoring. This method leverages vehicle-bridge interaction to facilitate information exchange between the vehicle and the bridge. With only a few sensors required to be installed on passing vehicles, the indirect method is both economical and sustainable.

This Mini Symposium aims to gather high-quality contributions in vibration-based SHM for bridge structures including direct and indirect methods, sharing advancements and identifying limitations in the current state of the art. Topics will include but are not limited to:

  • Vibration-based model updating for bridge modeling and damage identification
  • Data-driven damage detection of bridge components based on vibrations
  • Residual service life prediction of bridge structures
  • Modal parameter identification from vibrations of passing vehicles
  • Modal-based bridge condition assessment using vehicle responses
  • Machine learning/AI applications for indirect bridge monitoring
  • Investigations of vehicle-bridge interaction theories
  • Other applications related to bridge vibrations

MS03 – Bridge Management in a Digitalizing World <i>Pier Francesco Giordano, Hélder Sousa, Maria Pina Limongelli, José C. Matos</i>

Keywords: Bridge Information Modelling, Digital Twins, Structural Health Monitoring, Artificial Intelligence, Bridge Management Systems, Digitalization, Guidelines

Abstract

As the complexity of transportation networks grows and technological advancements accelerate, the management of bridge infrastructure has entered a new era. Bridges, critical components of our transportation systems, are not only deteriorating over time but also face continuous stress from environmental factors and the increasing demands of modern society. Traditionally, bridge management has relied on periodic inspections and reactive maintenance strategies. However, these approaches are becoming insufficient in the face of expanding infrastructure networks and the need for more efficient, proactive management. This is where digitalization plays a crucial role.

Digitalization offers new opportunities to enhance the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of bridge management by integrating advanced tools such as Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), Digital Twins (DTs), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Bridge Information Modeling (BrIM). These technologies enable a more dynamic, data-driven approach, facilitating real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and optimized decision-making. For example, DTs create a virtual replica of physical bridges, allowing for continuous monitoring and simulation of various scenarios to predict future performance and identify potential risks. Similarly, AI and ML algorithms can analyze large datasets from SHM systems to detect patterns and anomalies that might indicate early signs of deterioration.

This symposium will explore these cutting-edge developments, focusing on how digitalization can improve the efficiency of bridge management. The discussions will cover the practical challenges of implementing these digital systems, including optimal sensor placement, data management strategies, and the cost-benefit analysis of SHM and other digital tools. Additionally, the symposium will address the broader implications of these technologies, such as their impact on policy development, standardization, and the creation of new best practices in the field. The topics of interest include but are not limited to:

  • Application of Digital Twins in Bridge Management
  • Innovations in data collection: drones, InSAR, and augmented reality
  • Bridge Information Modeling (BrIM) and its role in lifecycle management
  • Real-time and online management of continuously monitored physical quantities
  • Cloud-based platforms for real-time data processing and storage
  • Data-driven decision-making, including Value of Information analysis
  • Development of new standards and guidelines in the digital era
  • Case studies on digitalization in bridge maintenance and management

Attendees will gain insights into the latest trends and future directions in bridge management, and how digitalization is paving the way for smarter, more sustainable infrastructure solutions. By bringing together experts from academia, industry, and government, this symposium aims to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing that will drive the future of bridge management in a rapidly digitalizing world.


MS04 – Progresses and probabilistic-based techniques for damage assessment of infrastructures: towards new and integrated perspectives for Structural Health Monitoring <i>Laura Ierimonti, Laura Gioiella and Michele Morici</i>

Keywords: Structural Health Monitoring, Damage detection, Data Fusion, Probabilistic Risk Assessment, Decision-making, Life-Cycle Cost Analysis, Surrogate Modeling

Abstract

Bridges play an essential role in the infrastructures network even though, at the same time, they may represent extremely vulnerable elements. This double nature is mainly related to a combination of effects as ageing of materials, inadequate maintenance, limited knowledge regarding structural typology and mechanical characteristic of materials, and natural hazards. Moreover, many bridges have already experienced their design lifetime and commonly present performance standards far from those required in modern design codes towards traffic actions and the effect of natural hazards, such as earthquakes and floodings. Finally, any traffic restrictions or closures can lead to significant economic losses and connectivity issues that can hardly faced with the limited funding usually available. Consequently, the need of developing affordable and reliable advanced methodologies aiming to ensure bridges safety is becoming essential.

In this context, Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) plays a crucial role due to its ability in providing continuous assessment and early warning for potential failures of bridges and civil structures. Data-driven SHM techniques have become valuable and recognized tools for evaluating the current state of conservation and the behaviour in both operational and extreme conditions of structures. Traditionally, SHM systems involve installing dynamic and static sensors on-site, together with data acquisition systems that record various types of information over time. However, these data can be highly uncertain due to the complexity of structural systems and the influence of external factors such as environmental noise (e.g., temperature, relative humidity). For this reason, there is the needed of developing probabilistic frameworks exploiting automated numerical tools that can manage various sources of uncertainty. Additionally, addressing the topic of damage identification is of paramount importance. This latter includes detection, localization, classification, assessment, and, crucially, the prediction of the damage evolution.

Based on these premises, the proposed Special Session aims to highlight and to discuss new developments in the field of SHM, inviting high-quality contributions that focus on the investigation of the current state-of-the-art, recent advancements, practical applications, and future perspectives for infrastructures. The contributions can cover the following topics:

  • probabilistic frameworks that can incorporate various sources of uncertainty, including environmental noise and structural complexity;
  • methods for detecting, localizing, classifying, and assessing damage, with a particular focus on predicting the evolution of damage over time;
  • advanced automated numerical tools to streamline data processing and analysis, enhancing the accuracy and reliability of SHM systems;
  • computer vision-based techniques as an alternative to conventional contact sensors for structural dynamic response measurement and health monitoring;
  • strategies for optimal allocation of limited maintenance resources based on probabilistic assessments, ensuring the safety and functionality of infrastructures.

MS05 – Assessment, Monitoring, and Repair of Long-Span Bridges <i>Carmelo Gentile, Carlo Rainieri, Paolo Borlenghi and Ilenia Rosati</i>

Keywords:

Abstract


MS06 – Innovations in Structural Health Monitoring and Management towards Climate Resilient Transport Infrastructure <i>Myra Lydon, Kun Feng, Zhenkun Li, Yifei Ren, Eugene OBrien and Jennifer Schooling</i>

Keywords: Structural Health Monitoring, Management, Climate Resilience, Transport Infrastructure

Abstract

The aim of this mini-symposium is to bring together and share high-quality research on recent innovations in structural health monitoring and management, with a focus on creating climate-resilient transport infrastructure, including roads, bridges and railways. Transport infrastructure plays a crucial role in our daily lives, providing essential benefits to individuals, businesses, the environment and the overall economy. Despite existing structural health monitoring and management systems designed to maintain infrastructure, practical challenges remain, particularly with climate change posing a significant obstacle to applying research effectively.

Climate change impacts on transport infrastructure mainly include:

  • Extreme Weather Events: Increased frequency of storms, heavy precipitation and flooding are causing damage to roads, bridges and railways. Flooding can erode roadbeds, cause bridge scour and trigger landslides, while strong winds can harm structures and disrupt services.
  • Rising Sea Levels: Coastal infrastructure, such as ports and roads, faces risks from rising sea levels and saltwater intrusion, which can corrode and weaken structures.
  • Temperature Extremes: Elevated temperatures can soften asphalt, leading to road damage and higher maintenance costs, and cause railways to expand and warp, increasing derailment risks.
  • Permafrost Thawing and Ice Pattern Changes: In colder regions, thawing permafrost and shifting ice patterns can undermine infrastructure stability.
  • CO2 Concentration: Elevated levels of atmospheric CO2 concentration and relative humidity contributing to concrete carbonation and increased corrosion.
  • Wildfires: Wildfires are becoming a growing concern for infrastructure asset owners, not only in traditionally fire-prone areas like the Mediterranean and California but also in some regions in UK and Ireland. These fires can significantly impact the structural integrity and usability of infrastructure, which is crucial during evacuation and firefighting efforts.


MS07 – Resilient Infrastructure through Smart Enforcement of Transport Operations <i>Beatriz Martínez-Pastor, Mohamed Eldessouki, Eugene OBrien and Miguel Casero Flórez</i>

Keywords:

Abstract