Transportation Infrastructures

This module provides knowledge on modern tools for design, assessment, performance prediction and optimisation of engineering structures in application to transportation infrastructures, such as roads, railways, bridges, and tunnels. In this process, the entire design-construction-service cycle will be considered.

The analysis of structural behaviour commences with defining the loading conditions. Therefore, the dynamic interactions of road/track/bridge/tunnel and moving vehicles will be introduced first. The students will learn how to numerically analyse such interactions and their consequences like rutting, vibrations and noise.

The methods for analysis of the long-term behaviour of engineering structures, including wear, (rolling contact) fatigue damage, etc., will be considered as well. Additionally, the students will learn how to apply the structural reliability methods to account for the uncertainties of real life, even including the effects of the weather.

The module also focuses on critical issues related to the aging of transportation infrastructures. Topics will cover aspects of material and structural degradation due to increased dynamic loading, environmental factors, and climate change effects, and familiarize with tools to assess and predict structural durability. The use of innovative materials to enhance the performance and durability of transportation infrastructures will be also discussed.

The students will get acquainted with modern general-purpose finite element software: ANSYS, ABAQUS, PLAXIS, Discrete element methods, etc., as well as with some dedicated design software, and will use these tools to assess structural behaviour at multi-scale level.

To assure the long-term safe performance, the methods of condition monitoring of engineering structures in application to transportation infrastructures will be studied. Several non-destructive testing (NDT) technologies like Digital Image Correlation (DIC), laser scanning, and satellite data used to assess the performance and condition of infrastructure will be covered. Examples of monitoring solutions using static, moving, and crowd sensing technologies will be analysed. Application of the NDT methods for parameter identification of the numerical models will be considered as well. Combined with state-of-the-art data-analysis methods and machine learning, the monitoring information will turn into maintenance strategies.

In this module we organise excursions to companies to discuss their engineering approaches for integral design for transportation infrastructures. All knowledge will be applied to real-life case studies to be performed in close collaboration with manufacturers and engineering companies. All these will serve as preparation for MSc theses.

The module is assessed through four summative assessments: three on the unit level and one on the module level.

25%:

B6-1 written exam. A set of questions from this unit will be included in the Module assessment (practical questions on engineering/analytical methods, software for a real-life design problem).

20%:

B6-2 written exam. Knowledge of the theoretical background and problem-solving skills are tested in a written exam with open questions.

15%:

B6-3 report. The assessment of this unit consists of a final individual report that covers the following topics: state-of-the art monitoring solutions, practical monitoring tools, hands-on experiments, maintenance strategies, life-cycle management, sustainability aspects, and challenges in AI, data analysis, and digitalization. Students will utilize commonly available pavement and railway monitoring tools for infrastructure condition evaluation. Selected questions of this unit will be evaluated as part of the module assessment. Students will select a real-life case study involving transportation infrastructures, summarize current practices and future challenges, present the case to infrastructure stakeholders, and submit a technical report. A presentation for the selected case study will be presented in a colloquium.

40%:

Module assessment which consists of both presentation and final report. Designing, analysing, and communication skills are evaluated through this module assessment.

A successful participation in the module, requires a minimum evaluation of 5.8 in all units.

For more information on grading, see article 14 in the Rules and Guidelines (RGBE):

https://www.tudelft.nl/en/student/ceg-student-portal/education/education-information/educational-rules-and-regulations

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