SMM News
Towards Real-Time Detection of Cracks in Train Wheelset Axles
Early detection of cracks in train wheelset axles is critical for railway safety. Work led by Ehsan Naghizadeh introduces Higher-Order Transmissibility (HOTr), a feature derived from nonlinear vibration signatures, together with an efficient reduced-order modeling strategy that dramatically accelerates crack identification and opens the door to near real-time in-service monitoring.
Quantifying the Value of Seismic Structural Health Monitoring for Power System Resilience
New publication in Reliability Engineering & System SafetyWe are pleased to share our latest publication in Reliability Engineering & System Safety:“Quantifying the Value of Seismic Structural Health Monitoring for Post-Earthquake Recovery of Electric Power Systems in Terms of Resilience Enhancement”. The work is led by Huangbin Liang (SMM Group, ETH Zürich), in collaboration with Beatriz Moya and Francisco Chinesta (Arts et Métiers – ENSAM & CNRS@CREATE), and Eleni Chatzi (ETH Zürich).
GABI Accepted at ICLR 2026: Geometry-Aware Bayesian Inversion Across Physical Systems
In GABI, led by Arnaud Vadeboncoeur and Gregory Duthé, in collaboration with Mark Girolami and Eleni Chatzi, we introduce a framework that learns geometry-conditioned priors once from large datasets of simulated systems and reuses them across previously unseen geometries, without retraining.
Deep Belief Markov Models for Inference and Decision-Making under Uncertainty
Under the lead of Dr. Giacomo Arcieri, we propose a new deep learning framework for belief inference in partially observable systems. The proposed Deep Belief Markov Model (DBMM) enables scalable, interpretable, and model-agnostic inference for decision-making under uncertainty, with strong performance across benchmark and real-world applications.
From Fixed Sensors to Mobile Robotics: Enabling Population-Based Structural Health Monitoring
Population-Based Structural Health Monitoring requires scalable data collection across many structures. In a new open-access study, we present a robotic mobile sensing approach that replaces costly fixed deployments with an intelligent, uncertainty-aware monitoring solution for bridge networks.
Prestraining Matters: Mechanics-Informed Design of Reliable Fe-SMA Couplers
Designing dependable Fe-SMA couplers starts with getting prestraining right. Our new open-access study in Engineering Structures, led by Ali Jafarabadi, reveals how direct mandrel prestraining governs recovery, residual deformation, and ultimately the reliability of self-locking Fe-SMA joints.
Living Mycelium as an Actively Probed Sensing Medium
In work led by Bao Zhao and Sophia Ganzeboom, we present a new approach to sensing with living materials. By actively interrogating living mycelium with controlled electrical inputs, the study establishes a robust, physics-based framework for characterizing signal propagation in bio-based sensing media—opening new pathways for sustainable structural health monitoring.
Great People, Great Energy: Celebrating the Year’s End at SMM
As 2025 came to a close, the Chair of Structural Mechanics and Monitoring gathered to celebrate a year of collaboration, creativity, and shared achievements.
Welcome to Zurich Xudong & Huangbin!
The Chair of Structural Mechanics and Monitoring (SMM) at ETH Zurich welcomes Dr. Xudong Jian and Dr. Huangbin Liang, who transition from the Singapore–ETH Centre’s Future Resilient Systems (FRS) programme to continue their research at the chair in Zurich.
New Framework Enhances Seismic Risk Assessment and Retrofit Planning for Electric Power Networks
A new study from the Chair of Structural Mechanics and Monitoring at ETH Zurich, in collaboration with Arts et Métiers and CNRS@CREATE, introduces a comprehensive probabilistic framework to evaluate and mitigate seismic risk in electric power systems.