Artificial intelligence helps with the design and maintenance of bridges
To extend the lifespan of existing railway bridges and conserve resources, ETH researchers are working with Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) to develop new prediction models using machine learning algorithms. An AI assistant also helps civil engineers with the design of new bridges.
Sophia Kuhn is a doctoral researcher in the group led by Walter Kaufmann, ETH Professor of Structural Engineering (Concrete Structures and Bridge Design). Her doctorate is co-supervised by Fernando Pérez-Cruz, ETH Professor of Computer Science, and Professor Michael Kraus from TU Darmstadt. The project was inspired and incorporated within the Design++ initiative, and specifically in the DAAAD Bridges, a project that aims to develop an AI-assisted parametric design framework to aid in making structural design decisions.
Kuhn’s research focuses on the use of artificial intelligence in construction, particularly machine learning algorithms. In the latest development of the project and through a collaboration the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), she has developed an AI model for “rigid frame bridges” – simple railway bridges made of reinforced concrete, which are particularly common in Switzerland and allow railways to pass above or below roads or footpaths, for example. Practically at the touch of a button, the AI model provides an initial assessment of structural safety thereby predicting whether a bridge is potentially statically critical or not. “It’s therefore possible to prioritise which bridges should undergo structural assessment without delay and may require structural interventions,” says Kuhn.
Read the full News on the ETH Zurich website.