Our News

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.

The UNDP and the Coalition of Disaster Resilient Infrastructure published their Biennial Report  on global infrastructure resilience https://cdri.world/gir.

metaInfrastructure contributed with one paper, authored by Dr Stergios Aristoteles Mitoulis and Dr Sotirios Argyroudis, on “Financing for disaster and climate resilient infrastructure for a net-zero economic transition”, available here

This position paper identified the enablers of and barriers to climate resilient and sustainable infrastructure aiming to quantify the trade-offs and synergies between climate resilience and sustainability in the infrastructure development and adaptation. The paper focuses on transport infrastructure adaptation considering climate projections and sets a benchmark case study for the bridge stock in Ukraine, including highway and railway assets.

Three members of the metaInfrastructure group: Dr Stergios Aristoteles Mitoulis, Dr Sotirios Argyroudis, and Dr Ivan Izonin, are listed at the top 2% cited researchers for the year 2022 according to the Stanford/Elsevier ranking list (c-score based)
See the list here: https://elsevier.digitalcommonsdata.com/datasets/btchxktzyw/6

Sotirios has been recently promoted to Senior Lecturer, while he recently started a new position as a Reader in Infrastructure Engineering at Brunel University London! This double promotion milestone was achieved through cutting-edge projects, publications with top academics, researchers and consultants, and positive impact in the field of infrastructure resilience.
Sotirios is committed to furthering his research endeavours and contributing to the advancement of future infrastructure, together with the infrastructureResilience group.