Management of Bridge Structures – Challenges and Possibilities

Reinforced concrete bridges (RCBs) are essential elements of transportation infrastructure, necessitating ongoing inspection and maintenance to guarantee their durability and structural integrity. This research aims to develop an integrated framework for inspection and maintenance intervention in reinforced concrete bridges (RCB), leveraging the potential of as-is Bridge Information Modeling (BrIM). The methodology begins by converting 2D drawings into a 3D as-is BrIM model, facilitating a more accurate representation of the bridge’s current state. This is followed by creating a comprehensive bridge inventory, allowing for meticulous tracking of vital components and their condition. Subsequently, inspection data are acquired using advanced sensing technologies, enabling real-time data collection and analysis. Structural defects are modeled on the as-is BrIM model to enhance diagnostic capabilities, providing a visual representation of areas requiring intervention. The framework also makes it easier to create reports, ensuring that important information is efficiently shared with the right people. A thorough case study using a concrete bridge is used to show the effectiveness of the created framework. The BrIM framework’s potential to improve the bridge inspection and maintenance process was demonstrated by integrating inspection reporting with BrIM, which produced encouraging results. The research contribution to the body of knowledge is significant as the developed framework considerably enhances the administration of bridge inspection and maintenance procedures, resulting in greater efficacy by offering a thorough and clear picture of the bridge’s current state.

Integration of TLS-derived Bridge Information Modeling (BrIM) with a Decision Support System (DSS) for digital twinning and asset management of bridge infrastructures

Virtual museum refers to display and simulate the functions of real museum on the Internet in the form of 3 Dimensions virtual reality by applying interactive programs. Based on Virtual Reality Modeling Language, virtual museum building and its effective interaction with the offline museum lie in making full use of 3 Dimensions panorama technique, virtual reality technique and augmented reality technique, and innovatively taking advantages of dynamic environment modeling technique, real-time 3 Dimensions graphics generating technique, system integration technique and other key virtual reality techniques to make sure the overall design of virtual museum.3 Dimensions panorama technique, also known as panoramic photography or virtual reality, is a technique based on static images of the reality. Virtual reality technique is a kind of computer simulation system which can create and experience the interactive 3 Dimensions dynamic visual world. Augmented reality, also known as mixed reality, is a technique which simulates and mixes the information (visual, sound, taste, touch, etc.) that is difficult for human to experience in reality. These technologies make virtual museum come true. It will not only bring better experience and convenience to the public, but also be conducive to improve the influence and cultural functions of the real museum.

<italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Purpose</i> : Lingual exercises based on tongue movements are common in speech therapy. These exercises can be tedious for patients, but gamification and virtual reality (VR) with head-mounted displays (HMD) can serve as effective strategies to enhance their motivation and engagement. However, the use of these technologies can be challenging for therapists due to a lack of technological skills. <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Material and Methods</i> : A new system to support HMD-based VR for gamified tongue rehabilitation exercises is proposed. The system offers a variety of games that challenge users to achieve their goals through tongue movements and sound interaction. These games support different interaction actions that can be set by therapists using easy-to-use editors. The system also provide functionalities for patient follow-up. The system has been implemented and tested considering different technologies such as mobile devices, personal computers, and HMD complemented with an external camera to properly capture the tongue movements. <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Results</i> : The therapists found the system to be user-friendly, requiring no additional support for effective utilization. The system’s versatility allows it to be used on mobile devices, as well as with augmented and virtual reality techniques, resulting in more engaging rehabilitation sessions. However, the sensibility of device movements to face detection strategies is a limiting factor of this configuration. In the case of using personal computers with HMD, better results are obtained and especially when virtual reality is considered. In this last case, it is better to consider illuminated scenarios to ensure the proper detection of facial movements. <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Conclusion</i> : HMD-based VR for gamified tongue rehabilitation with ease to use editors to prepare sessions is a good strategy to improve patient engagement in tongue rehabilitation sessions.

The objective of this paper is the development and evaluation of mobile applications for learning tours in cultural and archaeological sites, using virtual and augmented reality. Firstly, the theoretical framework of virtual and augmented reality techniques is presented. Then the virtual model of the bridge of Arta is constructed. The model is to be integrated into the unity gaming machine to accompany a virtual navigation application. The application is enriched with multimedia elements and is connected to a corresponding augmented reality application and is evaluated by secondary school students.

The development of an online knowledge-based expert system for machinability data selection

This research paper examines the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in road network inventory and network-wide road safety assessment. An overview of current research related to this field is presented and various aspects of the use of AI in road infrastructure and safety assessment are analysed. In today’s world, where the road network continues to develop and grow, the use of AI can offer significant advantages in the inventory and assessment of road infrastructure and safety. AI can be used to process large volumes of data collected from various sources such as geographic data, photos, documentation and more. One of the main aspects that the article looks at is the use of AI to automatically process data and create a digital inventory of the road network. AI systems can analyse geographic data and photos to identify and classify roads, road signs, markings, and other elements of road infrastructure. This can facilitate engineers and competent authorities in the process of road inventory and maintenance. Another important aspect discussed in the paper is the use of AI for the general assessment of road safety. AI models can analyse road infrastructure inventory data, as well as traffic data, crashes, and other factors, to provide a comprehensive assessment of road network safety. This allows the competent authorities to identify vulnerable places, carry out preventive measures and plan appropriate interventions aimed at improving road safety. In conclusion, the paper highlights the possibilities and advantages of using artificial intelligence in road network inventory and network-wide road safety assessment. Such an approach can contribute to more efficient management of road infrastructure and improvement of road safety.

The aim of this systematic review is to assess the clinical implications of employing various Extended Reality (XR) tools for image guidance in urological surgery. In June 2023, a systematic electronic literature search was conducted using the Medline database (via PubMed), Embase (via Ovid), Scopus, and Web of Science. The search strategy was designed based on the PICO (Patients, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) criteria. Study protocol was registered on PROSPERO (registry number CRD42023449025). We incorporated retrospective and prospective comparative studies, along with single-arm studies, which provided information on the use of XR, Mixed Reality (MR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Virtual Reality (VR) in urological surgical procedures. Studies that were not written in English, non-original investigations, and those involving experimental research on animals or cadavers were excluded from our analysis. The quality assessment of comparative and cohort studies was conducted utilizing the Newcastle-Ottawa scale, whilst for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the Jadad scale was adopted. The level of evidence for each study was determined based on the guidelines provided by the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. The initial electronic search yielded 1,803 papers after removing duplicates. Among these, 58 publications underwent a comprehensive review, leading to the inclusion of 40 studies that met the specified criteria for analysis. 11, 20 and 9 studies tested XR on prostate cancer, kidney cancer and miscellaneous, including bladder cancer and lithiasis surgeries, respectively. Focusing on the different technologies 20, 15 and 5 explored the potential of VR, AR and MR. The majority of the included studies (i.e., 22) were prospective non-randomized, whilst 7 and 11 were RCT and retrospective studies respectively. The included studies that revealed how these new tools can be useful both in preoperative and intraoperative setting for a tailored surgical approach. AR, VR and MR techniques have emerged as highly effective new tools for image-guided surgery, especially for urologic oncology. Nevertheless, the complete clinical advantages of these innovations are still in the process of evaluation.

In this work we introduce a learning system based on Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality for studying analytical-geometric structures that are part of the curriculum in mathematics and physics in high school classes. We believe that an immersive study environment has several advantages with respect to traditional two-dimensional environments (such as a book or the simple screen of a PC or even a tablet), such as the spatial understanding of the concepts exposed, more peripheral awareness and moreover an evident decreasing in the information dispersion phenomenon. This does not mean that our teaching proposal has to substitute the traditional approaches, but it can be seen as a robust tool to support learning. In the first phase of our research we have sought to understand which mathematical objects and which tools could have been used to enhance the teaching of mathematics, in order to demonstrate that the use of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality techniques significantly improves the level of understanding of the mathematical subject being studied by the students. The system which provides for the integration of two machine levels, hardware and software, was subsequently tested by a representative sample of students who then provided feedback through a questionnaire.

The authors are to be complimented for a very interesting article, describing the development of a knowledge-based expert system for the maintenance of flexible pavement, and comparing it to available similar systems. The content of the paper is clear and well structured, and the quality of the language and presentation is very good. Traditionally, the highway and road maintenance programs in many American and Canadian agencies had a low priority, and were often left to the local authorities. Cost not being a major concern, the decision-making process was sometimes made with limited practical experience and little technical appropriate expertise. In recent years, the maintenance budget has been increasing rapidly at the expenses of the new construction budget. Consequently, the need for decision support systems to provide the appropriate knowledge to the right persons at the right time is more than urgent (Akhras and Foo 1993; OCDE 1992). The authors rightly pointed out the problem and their paper demonstrated the advantages and benefits of applying-expert system technology to the decision-making process in highway engineering and operations. A few questions and comments need to be addressed and discussed further more. 1. The authors developed two distinctive and separate systems for PMAS: the first one for IBM-PC using Exsys Professional as a development shell, and the second one for Macintosh using Instant Expert Plus. The move from the first development shell to the second was made mainly for the ability of the Instant Expert Plus shell to "associate facts and expressions with figures" and to give "powerful user interface by providing pictures during runs." The writers believe that a brief description of this facility and capability together with illustrative screen displays using graphics and pictures would have been very helpful to the readers in realizing the graphic capability of PMAS. 2. As the authors already know, the first generation of

This paper presents a low cost knowledge based system (KBS) framework for design of bending die. Considerations for development of KBS are discussed at some length. The proposed framework divides the task of development of expert system into different modules for major activities of bending die design. The procedure of development of KBS modules is also described at length. Production rules for each module are recommended to be coded in the AutoLISP language and designed to be loaded into the prompt area of AutoCAD or through user interface created using Visual Basic. Each module of the proposed framework is user interactive. Development of one module of the proposed framework is also described at length. This module is capable to assess manufacturability of bending sheet metal parts. An illustrative example is also included to demonstrate the usefulness of this module. The proposed system framework is flexible enough to accommodate new acquired knowledge. As the proposed system is implementable on a PC having AutoCAD software, therefore its low cost of implementation makes it affordable even by small scale sheet metal industries.

Practical exercises are a crucial part of many curricula. Even simple exercises can improve the understanding of the underlying subject. Most experimental setups require special hardware. To carry out e. g. a lens experiments the students need access to an optical bench, various lenses, light sources, apertures and a screen. In our previous publication we demonstrated the use of augmented reality visualization techniques in order to let the students prepare with a simulated experimental setup. Within the context of our intended blended learning concept we want to utilize augmented or virtual reality techniques for stationary laboratory exercises. Unlike applications running on mobile devices, stationary setups can be extended more easily with additional interfaces and thus allow for more complex interactions and simulations in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). The most significant difference is the possibility to allow interactions beyond touching a screen. The LEAP Motion controller is a small inexpensive device that allows for the tracking of the user’s hands and fingers in three dimensions. It is conceivable to allow the user to interact with the simulation’s virtual elements by the user’s very hand position, movement and gesture. In this paper we evaluate possible applications of the LEAP Motion controller for simulated experiments in augmented and virtual reality. We pay particular attention to the devices strengths and weaknesses and want to point out useful and less useful application scenarios. © (2016) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Structural impact mitigation of bridge piers using tuned mass damper

Much recent work in the application of knowledge-based programming techniques to statistical problems has involved the development of the statistical expert systems which guide a user through a correct statistical analysis or assists the user in choosing an appropriate statistical tool. A more basic need for users of statistical software is support (guidance and training) in the use of statistical software from a programming standpoint versus an analysis standpoint. This research investigates the development of knowledge-based systems to help support the use of statistical software. Two systems are developed, EG Expert and EG Network. The design and development of each is described long with issues pertaining to computer implementation using Prolog.

In recent years, the emergence of Cyber-Physical systems (CPS), big data, cloud computing, and industrial wireless networks have promoted the development of Industry 4.0. Intelligent manufacturing systems are the leaders of this change. In smart manufacturing, the emphasis will be placed on using technologies such as big data analytics, cloud computing, edge computing, and artificial intelligence (AI). The advantages of new technologies are significantly reflected in the comparison of preventive maintenance and traditional maintenance based on intelligent technology: preventive maintenance significantly reduces the cost of prevention and, at the same time, dramatically improves the accuracy and timeliness of maintenance, bringing inestimable value to intelligent manufacturing. This paper will analyze new technologies’ innovative advantages and technical prospects through big data analysis and specific application scenarios of AI technology in preventive maintenance. Firstly, in data acquisition, this paper examines the architecture of preventive maintenance systems based on big data. Then, it analyzes the composition of the data pipeline: in the realization of data collection and processing in the field of cloud computing and edge computing, and the aspect of data processing, it discusses the participation of AI technology in data understanding and processing and the unprecedented changes it brings.