Catbas collaborated with his former civil engineering student Marwan Debees 鈥�23笔丑顿, who now works as a NASA Bridge Program manager, on newly published research that details how infrared thermography, high-definition imaging and neural network analysis can combine to make concrete bridge inspections more efficient.

Catbas and Debees are hopeful that their findings, recently published in the Transportation Research Record, can be leveraged by engineers through a combination of these methods to strategically pinpoint bridge conditions and better allocate repair costs.

鈥淚f we better understand which bridges need more repairs and which bridges may be postponed, then [funding agencies] can use limited funds more wisely, and then we can direct our efforts to the really critical bridges,鈥� Catbas says. 鈥淲e have about 650,000 bridges in the U.S. and we have been working to examine how we can use novel technologies to understand the existing condition of structures.鈥�

Debees noted an instance during a NASA bridge load test where Catbas and his team assisted in evaluating the repairs. They determined that the repairs made were sufficient, ultimately, eliminating the next phrase of planned work.

鈥淲e鈥檙e only spending the money where we need to instead of doing it without a comprehensive understanding of the actual conditions of the bridge in the field,鈥� Debees says. 鈥淭he goal is to better understand the conditions of the bridge and have a better priority list of what bridges are really in need.鈥�

Diagnosing Concrete Bridges

Catbas says what he and other civil engineers do to assess a structure鈥檚 overall integrity may be likened to a doctor鈥檚 diagnostics for a person鈥檚 wellbeing.

鈥淪tructural health monitoring, which is almost like human health monitoring, is where we use different types of equipment to better understand the safety and serviceability of structures,鈥� he says.

To help take high-definition images to compare to infrared data, the researchers closely collaborated with NEXCO-West USA. Inc, an imaging and non-destructive evaluation company in Tysons, Virginia, that have specialized vehicles equipped with imaging tools. With the company鈥檚 support, the research team utilized the infrared data to assess the conditions of bridge components, including the deck, superstructure and substructure.

鈥淎s far as the infrared itself, there are some limitations,鈥� Debees says. 鈥淥ne of the things in this paper that helped overcome some of these limitations is high-definition images to complement the infrared images.鈥�

These technologies that were used in the study by Catbas and Debees provided a more comprehensive record of concrete bridge health.

鈥淗uman visualization has limitations,鈥� Catbas says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 almost like a doctor just looking at you and saying that you look fine when you might really be fine, or you might not be. There may be other problems that the sensors and other technologies can tell you, kind of like when a doctor says he wants more testing, so he sends you to get an X-ray or an MRI. We are taking a similar approach to our bridges.鈥�

Bridging the Gap Between Technology and Interpretation

Infrared thermography works by collecting a structure鈥檚 thermal responses, which can indicate defects within it such as heat loss, moisture intrusion or other structural problems.

To analyze the different parts of the bridge such as the deck, superstructure and substructure, the research team used thermography and image capturing technologies deployed on boats under the bridge and on vehicles traveling across it so that traffic wouldn鈥檛 be impeded and motorists may continue using the roads.

The combination of visual inspection and imaging is common practice, but Debees says the element of utilizing a neural network and machine learning to decipher the data is something that is an emerging component of inspections. The collective knowledge from experienced engineers doing similar inspections was used to compare the results in the study.

鈥淭he way it differs from other utilization is that we are not using just infrared cameras and collecting raw data, but then we have a level of post-processing, and we are eliminating the noise or unnecessary information within the infrared image,鈥� Debees says. 鈥淭hen we use this data to understand where these defects are and then we integrate them within the current required bridge inspection processes. We close the loop by using some decision-making and algorithms with an easy-to-use perceptron neural network to guide the inspector or engineer without spending too much time or data analysis.鈥�

The two parts of the paper are how to implement this new technology and how it can be used to accelerate decision making while keeping it accurate and safe, he says.

鈥淲hen we do bridge inspections, we aim to find ways to accelerate or make it more efficient while also having more data to rely on in the future or in the immediate decision making,鈥� Debees says. 鈥淲e can determine which bridge needs to be evaluated right away, which needs more testing and we can see the significance of the finding quicker.鈥�

Crossing Into the Future

Debees says one of the most exciting parts of the research findings is the realization that the framework of multiple inspection techniques can be integrated with collective knowledge and applied to monitor a wide variety of structures.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not limited to concrete bridges,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e can build on this research and applying it with different inspection methods and use it for different infrastructure types. We can try this on concrete buildings, or steel bridges, buildings or other structures.鈥�

Using machine learning and collective knowledge to interpret data is something that Debees believes will continue to have a role in inspections even beyond the purview of their study.

鈥淚 think what was eye-opening to me is there is room, even outside of conventional inspections, to utilize more decision-making neural networks to standardize the decision-making [process],鈥� he says. 鈥淵ou can make it easier on the people in the field to know where to make decisions on the spot or where to seek more experienced help.鈥�

There are ample opportunities to discover even more innovative ways to assess structural health, and Catbas says he gladly looks forward to meeting the next challenge with former students and collaborators like Debees.

鈥淟ike other Ph.D. students of mine, we still keep in touch once they graduate and then become my colleague,鈥� Catbas says as he turns to Debees. 鈥淪o, my question is this: 鈥榃hat are we going to work on next?鈥欌��

Researchers鈥� Credentials:

Catbas holds a doctorate in structural engineering from the University of Cincinnati. After postdoctoral studies at Drexel University in Philadelphia, he joined 麻豆原创鈥檚鈥�College of Engineering and Computer Science鈥痠n 2003 and is the founding director of the Civil Infrastructure Technologies for Resilience and Safety (CITRS) Initiative. His research covers various aspects of civil engineering, including analysis, design, and assessment of civil infrastructure systems, structural health monitoring, structural identification, structural dynamics, and earthquake engineering.

Debees graduated in 2023 from 麻豆原创 with a doctoral degree in civil engineering. His research focuses on structural engineering, particularly on bridge systems. His work emphasizes the application of technology in bridge assessment and the efficacy of structural repairs. Debees currently serves as the Bridge Program Manager at NASA, where he has worked since 2013. Prior to joining NASA, he spent three years with Manson Construction.

That鈥檚 why 麻豆原创 researchers have developed four new inventions that use artificial intelligence and virtual reality to improve the structural health monitoring of buildings, bridges, roads and other civil structures.

鈥淪tructural health monitoring is an area of need internationally,鈥� says Necati Catbas, a Lockheed Martin St. Laurent Professor in 麻豆原创鈥檚 Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering. 鈥淚t’s almost like human health monitoring. As we get older, monitoring our health becomes very, very critical.鈥�

Catbas, who lead the development of the structural health monitoring technologies, says civil infrastructure systems in developed countries are aging but these new technologies can help.

鈥淏y better understanding their conditions, we can anticipate risks and better prioritize infrastructure investments,鈥� he says.

Catbas says that traditional monitoring methods involve onsite visual inspection, which can be both time-consuming and costly with manual inspections and can create road and bridge traffic closures.

In addition to time and expense, sites with aging or damaged structures can pose dangers to those at the site, even if they wear personal protective equipment.

Catbas and his research team developed the technologies to help address these issues.

鈥淚 am very lucky to have collaborated with many people who have expertise in structural health monitoring over the years, and I have to acknowledge their contribution,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t’s not a one-person effort.鈥�

Monitoring Structural Health Using Computer Vision and Augmented/Virtual Reality

One invention Catbas and his team developed employs computer vision, while another uses augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).

He says computer vision can complement sensors and visual inspection of structural health, and that it is very practical because it doesn鈥檛 require access structures such as bridges, buildings, or towers.

鈥淲e can use the camera, and by analyzing the images, we can extract meaningful information about these bridges and buildings,鈥� he says.

The technology, a , enables inspectors to safely view and accurately assess the load-worthiness and serviceability of structures without having to be onsite.

Catbas says that the 麻豆原创 invention uses cameras stationed on and around a structure, like a bridge, to collect image and location data related to the structure鈥檚 use. In the bridge example, the data relates to vehicles crossing it. The data can include the vertical or horizontal displacement of girders caused by their movement, vibrational effects and velocity. While the cameras continually monitor the site, computer vision software processes and analyzes the collected data, providing system users with a safety assessment that includes information about structural changes and weaknesses, as well as immediate damage.

The second invention that the team developed is an that uses VR and AR to analyze structures via 鈥渧irtual visits.鈥� VR provides a completely computer-simulated environment, while AR generates or overlays content onto actual views of a real-world environment.

鈥淲ith this technology, you can virtually bring experts to disaster areas, such as buildings and bridges, like after a hurricane,鈥� Catbas says. 鈥淚 can virtually be on a damaged bridge in Florida discussing decisions with colleagues who might be in California.鈥�

Like the first invention, the visualization system provides damage detection and load-carrying information about a structure using cameras and sensors. Additionally, it employs other tools such as robots, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones, LiDAR scanners and infrared thermography cameras. With its visualization platform, the technology provides the collected data and images via a user interface and sophisticated computer graphics. The result is a real-time view of a site and the ability to interact and communicate with people from different locations: onsite, across the country, and even globally.

Enhancing Inspections and Structural Damage Diagnostics Using Artificial Intelligence

Two other inventions developed by Catbas and his team incorporate AI. First, the blends human-centric AI with mixed reality to help fast-track inspection processes and keep costs down while ensuring accuracy. With this invention, an inspector standing outside a damaged building could wear a headset and/or use a hand-held device integrated with the technology.

The inspector uses the items to scan the damaged areas, which the system analyzes in real-time, saving the inspector from having to perform manual measurements. It then calculates or assesses the building鈥檚 condition, thus speeding the inspection process. During the assessment, the inspector interacts with the AI and can adjust its defect and detection boundaries. The system uses the inspector鈥檚 changes to retrain the AI model so that the AI’s accuracy improves over time. A major advantage of the invention is its ability to combine the professional judgment of an inspector/engineer with the AI鈥檚 analytical power.

The other invention, the , enables a more proactive approach to managing and maintaining the health and safety of structures. It uses AI to predict damage and minimize the need for data collection from many structures.

鈥淚nstead of putting sensors and devices on all structures, we can collect data from just a few of them,鈥� Catbas says.

He explained that collecting useful data from sensors about damaged structures is expensive and challenging.

鈥淭here is not enough data from damaged areas to train detection models,鈥� he says. 鈥淵et, machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) algorithms used with AI yield better, more accurate output using big data sets. As a solution to the data scarcity in civil structural health monitoring applications, the invention takes data collected from structures. It uses model variants of the GAN architecture to generate large, accurate synthetic data samples to train damage diagnostics systems.

“Then, by using AI, we can better understand what’s going on with other similar structures and more effectively decide how to respond,鈥� he says.

The technology can predict the dynamic response of a structure change before damage conditions occur. It鈥檚 also possible to create potential future conditions of structures, such as generating data showing what a healthy bridge鈥檚 response would be after damage compared to the response of an unhealthy bridge.

Catbas says that the inventions can be used independently or together. For more information,

Upcoming Projects

Catbas says that his team鈥檚 future research plans include a framework for cities and towns to use.

鈥淚t enhances community resilience by providing valuable insights for disaster preparedness, resource allocation and evacuation planning,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he framework improves emergency management by enabling informed decision-making during crises.鈥�

They are also developing a 鈥渄igital twin鈥� of infrastructure assets, like the way NASA uses replicas of spacecraft components.

“They have those components on the ground, and if something happens, they work with these replicas,鈥� he says. 鈥淪o, this twin, in a sense, allows us to collect data simultaneously and work on different structure scenarios using predictive analysis.鈥�

Researcher鈥檚 Credentials

Catbas holds a doctorate in structural engineering from the University of Cincinnati. After postdoctoral studies at Drexel University in Philadelphia, he joined 麻豆原创鈥檚 College of Engineering and Computer Science in 2003 and is the founding director of the Civil Infrastructure Technologies for Resilience and Safety (CITRS) Initiative. His research covers various aspects of civil engineering, including analysis, design, and assessment of civil infrastructure systems, structural health monitoring, structural identification, and structural dynamics and earthquake engineering.

Technology Available for License

To learn more about Catbas鈥� work and additional potential licensing or sponsored research opportunities, contact Raju.Nagaiah (Raju.Nagaiah@ucf.edu) at (407)-882-0593.

In 2008, Associate Professor Catbas was inducted into the 麻豆原创 Millionaires Club for receiving more than $1 million in research funding. His biggest single award ($855,259) is leading to new tools to better predict the strength and lifespan of existing bridges and make the bridges of the future even stronger.