The start of the SmartMet Lab was marked on February 14, 2025.
Within five years, we aim for the lab to become a centre of expertise at OsloMet for smart monitoring and maintenance of infrastructure, meeting the needs of both public and private actors.
The lab will have advanced testing facilities for structure monitoring, materials technology, and digital twin modelling.
It will utilise the latest technologies, including drones, digital monitoring tools, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and sensor networks, to develop an integrated system for monitoring and maintenance.
This will not only automate processes but also strengthen expertise through advanced data analysis and predictive solutions.
Many bridges need maintenance
“The background for this initiative is that Norway has over 17,000 bridges, and an extensive network of roads, tunnels, and offshore structures. Many of the bridges are old and require regular supervision, maintenance, repairs, and reinforcement,” says Professor Mahdi Kioumarsi, who is leading the lab.
A report has estimated that over 50 percent of the bridges have maintenance backlogs.
The head of the Department of Built Environment (BE), Yonas Zewdu Ayele, emphasises that we have a large maintenance backlog in the Norwegian road network, and therefore we need a cost-effective and smart way to solve this.
“Having an efficient inspection of this will give us advantages when it comes to taking care of critical infrastructure.”
Time to embrace new technology
Thus, the question of whether it is time to embrace new technology and artificial intelligence in the supervision and maintenance of bridges and other infrastructure has become very relevant.
Kioumarsi gives us some examples of how this can be done with drones, laser scanning, and sensors. This results in thousands of images, which would be overwhelming to go through manually.
Artificial intelligence, on the other hand, can automatically detect damage in the structure and is necessary to go through large amounts of data.
This can be used on bridges, roads, railways, and offshore structures, among others.
Collaboration important for success
In the development of the SmartMet Lab, it is desirable to collaborate with the industry and utilise facilities and expertise that OsloMet already has in, for example, the Trimble lab, Oceanlab, and AI lab, with the professionals involved there.
The SmartMet Lab aims to connect with external partners. Educating new professionals will also be an important part of the effort.
“The SmartMet Lab is important for building expertise so that we can contribute to the society around us and benefit from facilities that already exist at OsloMet,” says Ayele.
Strengthens competition and innovation
The Pro-Rector for social impact and collaboration at OsloMet, Carl Christian Thodesen, states that investing in the SmartMet Lab helps strengthen our competitiveness and innovation capacity.
“It contributes to environmental, social, and economic sustainability. If we are to continue to develop, we must be aware of this type of technology. I want to congratulate the Department of Built Environment and the Faculty of Technology, Art and Design on this super important project,” says Thodesen.
Knowledge about drones, sensors, and artificial intelligence
Close collaboration with the AI lab and the Department of Computer Science (IT) is important for the SmartMet lab. Professor Anis Yazidi gives a brief account of current forms of artificial intelligence and the challenges one may face.
Knowledge about drones and sensors is also important, and there the Department of Mechanical, Electrical and Chemical Engineering (MEK) can contribute. The department also has expertise in materials technology and digital twins that can be useful, emphasises department head Astrid Oust Janbu.
Much of this is centred in the Oceanlab, which will contribute to the SmartMet Lab. Here, experiments are being carried out with both underwater robots and flying drones, which Professor Vahid Hassani can tell us more about.
“I am pleased that we can now collaborate with the SmartMet lab, which can take the issues from the starting point and collaborate on something that could be of great significance. We have things we know will work, but we need to bring them to new areas of use,” says Hassani.
Great need for maintenance and new technology
Pål Midtlien Danielsen and Stefano Derosa from the Norwegian Railway Directorate can tell us about the great potential for maintenance-related projects and the need for solutions.
Stefania Imeratore from the University of Niccolò Cusano in Italy is at the forefront in the field and can tell about, among other things, the use of drones with sensors that can be used to examine concrete structures.
Postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Building and Energy Technology, Afaq Ahmad, can tell that temperature changes often cause problems with concrete, such as cracks and scaling.
Ahmad emphasises how important maintenance of the road system in Norway is. It extends over approximately 93,000 kilometres. Norway's national transport plan has outlined a total maintenance need of 1,000 billion kroner over the next decade.
Ahmad compares structures with the human body; as the body ages, it needs more assessments and tests to find out what needs to be corrected.
Similarly, when a structure becomes old, whether it is made of concrete or steel, problems can arise at the material level or perhaps at the component level, such as individual beams, columns, plates, or even the entire structure.
Ahmad talks about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the construction industry, for example, in 3D printing, smart printing operations, and construction site safety. He also discusses how AI is used in almost all domains within the construction area.
Long-term planning
Kioumarsi and his team have already ordered equipment to get the most advanced drones. They have this expertise, and now they look forward to working on this project.
Kioumarsi also emphasises how important research and education are, and that it involves more than just applying for research funds. It's also about developing the techniques of the students to meet the requirements of the future in the industry.
The establishment of the SmartMet Lab facilities is already well underway, and to ensure long-term development and further scaling of activities, the Department of Built Environment plans to apply for additional funding after the first three years.
The picture at the top of the article shows that the SmartMet Lab has solid support at OsloMet.
From the left, you see the Head of the Department of Computer Science, Andre Brodtkorb, Associate Professor Sarra Drissi, Senior Engineer Ernst Erik Hempel, Head of the Department of Mechanical, Electrical and Chemical Engineering, Astrid Oust Janbu, Senior Adviser Maryam Kaviani, Professor Mahdi Kioumarsi, Head of the Department of Built Environment, Yonas Zewdu Ayele, Dean at Faculty of Technology, Art and Design, Laurence Habib, and Associate Professor Dimitrios Kraniotis.
In front, you see Professor Vahid Hassani, Pro-Rector Carl Christian Thodesen, and Postdoctoral Fellow Afaq Ahmad.
