Past Webinars

Today, many of the most transformative research discoveries occur at the nexus of data and computation.  Yet, significant challenges exist in accessing relevant data, integrating it with computational tools, and gaining access to the required computing resources.  The DesignSafe cyberinfra…

The SimCenter provides next-generation computational modeling and simulation software tools and educational materials to the natural hazards engineering community with the goal of advancing capabilities to simulate the impact of natural hazards on infrastructure, lifelines, and communities…

Although the term “sustainability” is becoming more widespread, it can be challenging to know what tangible things we can do as geotechnical engineers and contractors to further sustainable development goals. This talk aims to advance our understanding by providing a brief background on …

Digital Twinning methods can produce a reliable digital record of the built environment and enable owners to reliably protect, monitor and maintain the condition of their asset. The built environment is comprised of large assets that need significant resource investments to design, construct, mainta…

As an industry, we are dealing with some enormous challenges. Infrastructure dating back over a century must be upgraded to deal with seismic threats and dwindling natural resources because of climate change. The escalating frequency of wildfires and intensifying droughts is straining our systems be…

Many infrastructure assets are designed for a service life of 100 years, even with deterioration due to material degradation, extreme temperature, and external loads. But deterioration can accelerate because of poor design or workmanship, construction problems, unforeseen stressors, and inadequate m…

The field of civil engineering is radically changing based on the emergence of sensing, data and modes of automation previously unimaginable. One of the most successful advancements has been wireless sensors that can be used to collect structural response data with high nodal density and low install…

The effects of natural hazards with respect to infrastructure resilience are reviewed with examples related to earthquakes, hurricanes, and fire. Infrastructure resilience with respect to natural hazards vs climate change is discussed. Innovation with respect to increasing the resilience of pipeline…

The increasing ability of data means that we are now in a position to monitor and understand our infrastructure and cities as never before. But what data should we collect? How should we manage and analyse it? How do we decide where to invest limited resources into sensing systems, novel technologie…

‘Smart structures’ sense, understand, and respond to structure itself, the humans within, and the surrounding environment. Traditional monitoring approaches using dedicated sensors often result in dense sensing systems that are difficult to install and maintain in large-scale structures. …

B.F. Spencer, Jr. is the Nathan M. and Anne M. Newmark Endowed Chair of Civil Engineering, UIUC. His research has been primarily in the areas of structural health monitoring, structural control, cyberinfrastructure applications, stochastic fatigue, stochastic computational mechanics, and natural haz…