The Grainger College of Engineering
Illinois Center for Transportation

Digital twins for smarter infrastructure management

By Ioannis Brilakis on 11/19/2026 from 2:00 p.m. to 2:50 p.m. in 1611 Titan Dr., Rantoul, IL 61866

Join Ioannis Brilakis, the Laing O'Rourke Professor of Civil and Information Engineering and director of the Construction Information Technology Laboratory at the University of Cambridge, as he presents via Zoom at the Fall 2026 Kent Seminar Series on Thursday, November 19, from 2:00-2:50 p.m. (CT).

The Fall 2026 Kent Seminar will explore advances in transportation engineering modeling. The 13-speaker series will begin August 27 and end November 19. 

Pizza and soft drinks will be provided beginning at 1:30 p.m. in the ICT Classroom. 

All presentations will be held on Zoom, but some speakers will present in person at ICT.

Digital twins provide detailed digital representations of infrastructure assets, helping owners monitor conditions, improve maintenance, and enhance performance throughout an asset's life cycle. This presentation highlights research at the University of Cambridge exploring artificial intelligence methods for generating digital models of infrastructure, identifying and mapping visible defects, measuring deterioration, and integrating sensor data. Applications include design for manufacturing and assembly, mixed-reality-assisted inspections, and proactive protection against accidental damage. These technologies offer opportunities to improve infrastructure management while reducing costs and enhancing safety, sustainability, and resilience.

Join Zoom Webinar:
https://illinois.zoom.us/j/81698798883?pwd=dlHgbqirs442ZcdQJoP4bhbeE1mqOq.1

Webinar ID: 816 9879 8883
Passcode: 664625

Abstract and Bio

Digital twins provide detailed digital representations of infrastructure assets, helping owners monitor conditions, improve maintenance, and enhance performance throughout an asset's life cycle. This presentation highlights research at the University of Cambridge exploring artificial intelligence methods for generating digital models of infrastructure, identifying and mapping visible defects, measuring deterioration and integrating sensor data. Applications include design for manufacturing and assembly, mixed-reality-assisted inspections and proactive protection against accidental damage. These technologies offer opportunities to improve infrastructure management while reducing costs and enhancing safety, sustainability and resilience.

Brilakis is the Laing O'Rourke Professor of Civil and Information Engineering and director of the Construction Information Technology Laboratory at the University of Cambridge. He earned his doctorate in civil engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2005 and previously held faculty positions at the University of Michigan and Georgia Tech. Brilakis has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed publications and received numerous honors, including the 2024 IAARC Tucker-Hasegawa Award. He serves as president of the International Association for Automation and Robotics in Construction and helped establish the European Council on Computing in Construction.