InStruct (research project)

Integrating remote sensing and computational modelling to assess infrastructure conditions

Principal Investigator: Dr. Giorgia Giardina, TU Delft

Globally, infrastructure such as bridges and quay walls is deteriorating due to climate change and structural aging. Limited time and funding hinder comprehensive in-situ inspections and retrofitting, creating an urgent need for reliable, cost-effective tools to prioritize maintenance. Advances in satellite monitoring technology have demonstrated significant potential in detecting infrastructure deformations, often indicative of early structural distress. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) techniques can measure surface changes with millimetre precision over large areas. However, understanding the vulnerability of specific assets requires integrating this data with insights into their structural response.

All over the world infrastructure like bridges and quay walls are crumbling under the impact of climate change and structural ageing mechanisms. As time and funding are not sufficient for all required in-situ inspections and retrofitting, there is an increasingly urgent need for reliable and cost-effective tools to support decisions on maintenance prioritisation. Recent developments in satellite monitoring technology have shown enormous potential in detecting infrastructure deformations, which are often connected to early signs of structural distress. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (inSAR) techniques can measure changes on the Earth’s surface over large regions and with millimetre precision. However, little can be learned about the vulnerability of individual assets without coupling this data with knowledge about their structural response.
InStruct will create a new automated procedure for the near real-time assessment of infrastructure conditions based on the acquisition of satellite data. The scientific challenge lies in the creation of a new framework which incorporates InSAR measurements into a damage assessment method based on accurate modelling of complex systems. Computational models will be used to create new InSAR-based estimation of damage for representative infrastructure typologies. The project will provide new fundamental understanding of infrastructure resilience mechanisms, benefitting infrastructure management at the decision-makers level.