Machine learning set to make bridges safer – and cheaper to maintain

A recent ‘machine learning’ project between University of Exeter and the materials testing company Imetrum, is set to reduce maintenance costs and improve the safety of civil structures such as bridges and tunnels.

Drawing on Exeter’s expertise in machine learning and Imetrum’s video encoding system, the project has developed a new technology for the long-term ‘condition monitoring’ of these structures.

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Failure to monitor the health of civil structures can cause severe financial loss while threatening public safety. Since 2000, more than 130 bridges have collapsed killing over 1000 people and in 2018, the Genoa Bridge collapse cost local businesses approximately $500 million. Owners and municipal authorities are therefore required to perform regular assessments of infrastructure, to identify and resolve defects.

However, Structural Health Monitoring, while essential, is expensive – an assessment of a large bridge can cost millions of pounds. Additionally, attaching networks of sensors to detect movement carries high installation costs and is often entirely prohibited for heritage structures.

As leading suppliers of data used by structural engineers to assist with mapping the motions and displacements within structures, Imetrum needed the University of Exeter’s expertise and experience in machine learning to develop a new diagnostic tool that provides asset owners with insight into the health of their structure.

Working together through a collaborative Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project, the team developed a new system that reduces costs and simplifies Structural Health Monitoring for infrastructure asset owners. This provides a focus for engineering resources by integrating Machine Learning with “smart” features that automatically interpret data, flagging issues, classifying faults and predicting future problems in civil infrastructure.

Thanks to its success, the KTP project has enabled Imetrum to grow further within the industrial monitoring sector, offering solutions to a range of clientele. The company has won new projects and has a strong knowledge base for rapid future product development.

The People Behind the Project

This KTP project was part-funded by Innovate UK, to support business-led innovation and access to university expertise. The project drew on the combined knowledge base of the teams at Imetrum and the University of Exeter including; Managing Director Lee Fenney and Research Engineer Nicholas Burn in Imetrum. At the University of Exeter, the project was led by Dr Ajit Pillai, Lecturer in Autonomous Systems and Robotics, Professor Lars Johanning, Professor of Ocean Technology and the KTP Associate, Dr Nicko Kassotakis.

Dr Kassotakis has now been employed by Imetrum as a Senior Research Engineer.

More Information

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) with the University of Exeter give organisations the opportunity to access new expertise, develop new products and services, and unlock industry-leading solutions. Our KTP team have delivered over 100 successful projects to date, and were voted National KTP Award winners for ‘Business Impact and Transformation’ and ‘Technical Excellence’ in 2022. Learn more here.