Our News

Dr. Stergios Aristoteles Mitoulis was recently interviewed by Emerald Publishing to discuss the critical role of bridges in the development of smart cities. As vital components of urban infrastructure, bridges play a significant role in improving connectivity, resilience, and sustainability in modern cities.

During the interview, Dr. Mitoulis highlighted innovative approaches to bridge design and maintenance, emphasizing how emerging technologies, such as smart sensors and data-driven solutions, are transforming traditional infrastructure into intelligent systems. His insights underline the importance of integrating advanced engineering solutions to create smarter, safer, and more efficient urban environments.

This recognition further establishes Dr. Mitoulis as a leading expert in resilient and sustainable infrastructure.

Dr. Stergios-Aristoteles Mitoulis, from the School of Engineering at the University of Birmingham, recently visited China to foster international collaboration and share cutting-edge research. The visit included stops at Tongji University in Shanghai and Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in Wuhan, where Dr. Mitoulis delivered a series of lectures showcasing the research achievements of the University of Birmingham and the innovative work of the FutureStructures and MetaInfrastructure research groups.

The hybrid events, attended by hundreds of undergraduate, MSc, and PhD students, as well as academic staff, provided an excellent platform for discussing research advancements and exploring potential synergies. The enthusiastic response from both universities highlighted a shared interest in strengthening existing collaborations and building new partnerships.

Dr. Mitoulis expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality and meticulous planning by the hosting universities, particularly thanking Professor Min Ouyang, Professor Xiaowei Wang, Professor Zhongkai Huang, and the university management teams. Special appreciation was given to Professor Fang Liu and Professor Dongmei Zhang, Deans of Tongji University, for their efforts in ensuring a productive and memorable visit.

This visit underscores the University of Birmingham’s commitment to global engagement and collaboration, further solidifying its ties with leading institutions in China.

We are proud to share that three members of the MetaInfrastructure.org group have been recognized among the world’s top 1%-2% researchers for 2023, according to the Stanford/Elsevier ranking list (c-score based): Ivan Izonin, Dr Stergios-Aristoteles Mitoulis, Dr Sotirios Argyroudis
The list is available here:
https://elsevier.digitalcommonsdata.com/datasets/btchxktzyw/7

Additionally, Stergios-Aristoteles Mitoulis, Dr Sotirios Argyroudis have been included in the top 2% of the career ranking. Our group is leading globally in the following categories:

CivilEngineering, Engineering, Strategic, Defence & Security Studies, Artificial Intelligence & ImageProcessing

It is a privilege to work alongside such outstanding colleagues, doctoral, and postdoctoral researchers from MetaInfrastructure.org and BridgeUkraine.org. Jelena Ninic, Natalya Shakhovska, Nadiia Kopiika, Athanasia Kazantzi, Roberta Di Bari, Marianna Loli, Stavros Sakellariou, Jinsheng Wang, Khrystyna Myroniuk, Francesco Pentassuglia, Mohammed Almousa, John Agbo,

Their dedication and excellence have propelled us to be included in this prestigious Research Excellence list. This achievement would not have been possible without the immense support and incredible research contributions from all members of the MetaInfrastructure group

The MetaInfrastructure group is pioneering the integration AI and ML into critical infrastructure protection, creating a foundation for rapid decision-making and enhancing resilience and energy efficiency in built ecosystems.

Prof. Ivan Izonin and Dr. Athanasia Kazantzi are on a winning streak, having recently published a series of impactful articles that advance this field. See below:

1. An approach toward improvement of ensemble method’s accuracy for data classification

read here: https://ijece.iaescore.com/index.php/IJECE/article/view/35701

2. A new method for Reducing Training Time ML-Based Cascade Scheme for Large-Volume Data Analysis

read here:  https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/15/4762

3. Machine learning for predicting energy efficiency of buildings: A small data approach

read here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877050923021853

And perhaps the most interesting one in the journal Engineering with Computers titled:

4. GRNN-based cascade ensemble model for non-destructive damage state identification

read here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00366-024-02048-1

On 21.5.2024, in Athens, Greece our research group had the first in-person meeting!

We had a fantastic discussion about the strategy of our group and plans to become even stronger and continue our research success!

A themed issue titled:
“Eyes from the sky on bridges: standoff observations in rapid bridge and transport network assessments” will be published in the ICE Journal of Bridge Engineering, with Guest Editors from our group:

Nadiia Kopiika, Jelena Ninic, Sotirios Argyroudis, Stergios-Aristoteles Mitoulis

Contributions to this issue are welcomed in the integration of remote sensing data with structural health monitoring systems and data, advanced imaging technologies, and data analytics for real-time bridge assessment and management.
Submit your paper by 1 September 2024; full description of the Themed Issue: https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/calls-for-papers/eyes-sky-bridges-stand-observations-rapid-bridge-and-transport-network-assessments

Stergios was featured in a BBC interview discussing the tragic collapse of the steel truss Baltimore Francis Scott Key Bridge, which plunged into the Patapsco River following a collision with a 289-meter-long cargo ship.

You can find more thoughts on BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0hlzmj8
where Stergios is discussing the condition of bridges in the USA and the need for investment on resilient infrastructure for sustainable development.

The metaInfrastructure group is delighted to share the achievement of three successful Horizon-Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship applications :

Jelena Ninic (University of Birmingham) had two successful applications:

(Hoang-)Giang Bui will be joining us to work on TwinSSI – Digital Twin Modelling for Soil-Structure-Interaction based on CutFEM and BIM technologies.  

Hassan Liravi will be joining us with his project META-NOVIB – Digital twin for ground-borne railway-induced NOise and VIBration control with METAmaterials in underground tunnels. 

Sotirios Argyroudis (Brunel University London) secured another one:

Stavros Sakellariou will be joining our group with his project FIREWISE on proactive wildfire resilience assessment and management, including the development of vulnerability models based on wildfire’s simulations, multi-objective spatial optimisation modelling for firefighting resources and agent-based tools for evacuation planning.