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• Development of Digital Image-Based Soil Color Assessment Technologies Development of Digital Image-Based Soil Color Assessment Technologies ▲ Senior Researcher Kwak Tae-young, Department of Geotechnical Engineering Research, KICT Prologue Soil color is widely used as a fundamental indicator for classifying and predicting soil properties, as it is known to be influenced by factors such as mineral composition, organic content, moisture content, and ion concentration, among others. Particularly in the field of agriculture, soil color is utilized as a prominent indicator for classifying soils, and suitable farming practices and crop types are determined based on soil color variations. Additionally, in civil engineering, the color of soil samples collected during soil surveying of a site is recorded in the boring log. This practice is based on the understanding that soils with similar colors in adjacent areas are highly likely to have similar geotechnical properties. Color is typically determined through visual observation. The MUNSELL Soil Color Charts shown in Figure 1 were developed to objectively differentiate observed soil colors based on combinations of hue, value, and chroma. However, the method of determining soil color using MUNSELL Soil Color Charts has the following limitations: ① It is susceptible to the subjectivity of the observer, ② the color of soil samples and the standard color chips can vary depending on environmental conditions like lighting, and ③ the standard color chips are discontinuous, making numerical or statistical analysis challenging. Recently, digital image-based soil color assessment technology has been highlighted as a means of overcoming these limitations. Digital image processing involves a series of computer-based processes to analyze digital images, allowing for rapid and objective soil color determination without the need for observer involvement. Furthermore, since soil color is represented as continuous values in digital image-based systems, it offers the advantage of enabling numerical or statistical analysis. Current Status of Development of Digital Image-Based Soil Color Assessment Technologies Current Status of Development of Digital Image-Based Soil Color Assessment Technologies Variations in Soil Color Due to Changes in Lighting Conditions Figure 2 presents digital images of granitic soils in the Anseong area, captured under lighting conditions simulating natural light. Despite capturing consistently prepared soil samples with the same camera settings, the soil color displayed in the images varied significantly based on the lighting's color temperature and illuminance. Color temperature is a measure of the color of light sources expressed in absolute temperature (K). The lower the color temperature, the redder the light source; the higher the color temperature, the bluer the light source. Illuminance is a measure of the intensity of light received on a specific surface. As illuminance increases, the light source becomes brighter. Soil color exhibited a similar trend to changes in color temperature and illuminance of the lighting. The phenomenon of soil color changing with lighting conditions highlights the clear limitations of previous studies that were not applicable in practical field settings. It is believed that the development of a digital image-based soil color analysis method that can consider irregular lighting conditions would further enhance the universality and applicability of research findings in practical field settings. Development of Digital Image Processing-Based Soil Color Analysis Technology A color system is a method of numerically representing colors, expressing a specific color as a point in a color space. There are various ways to define a color space, depending on the color system used. Some common color systems include RGB, HSV, CIEXYZ, CIExyY, CIELAB, and CIELUV (Billmeyer and Saltzman, 1981). In this study, two color systems, RGB and CIELAB, were utilized for soil color analysis. The RGB color system is the method most widely used in electronic devices such as digital cameras, and represents colors using the three primary colors of light: red (R), green (G), and blue (B). The RGB color system has the advantage of being able to reproduce most colors through a simple combination of the three colors. However, it cannot represent all the colors that the human eye can perceive. To overcome this limitation, the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) proposed the CIELAB color system based on the CIEXYZ color system (CIE, 1978). In the CIELAB color system, colors are expressed as a combination of L*, a*, and b*. L* represents the brightness of the color and ranges from 0 (dark) to 100 (bright). Additionally, a* and b* represent color values, and a* represents which side of red (positive number) and green (negative number) it is closer to, while b* indicates which side of yellow (positive number) and blue (negative number) it is closer to. Color System for Digital Image-Based Soil Color Analysis In an attempt to overcome the limitations of previous researches, the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) has developed a digital image processing-based soil color analysis technology that can consider irregular lighting conditions in the field. As shown in Figure 3, a digital image capture studio was established to simulate natural light conditions. Various soil samples, including a single silica-based sand sample and granitic soil collected from four different regions, were photographed under different lighting conditions. Digital image processing was performed on the captured sample images to extract and analyze soil color in various color systems (RGB, CIELAB). In the RGB color system-based soil color analysis, it was observed that as the illuminance of the lighting intensified, the soil color components (R, G, B) also increased. Of the RGB components, green (G), which is known to have the highest correlation with brightness, showed a very high correlation with illuminance. However, red (R) and blue (B) showed relatively lower correlations due to the influence of color temperature. Since soil color represented in the RGB color system is influenced to some extent by both illuminance and color temperature, it was considered challenging to completely exclude (or correct for) the effects of lighting conditions using this system. The analysis of soil color based on the CIELAB color system revealed that L* is influenced only by illuminance, while a* and b* are affected solely by color temperature, and the correlations were high. This is attributed to the fact that L* represents the brightness of the color, while a* and b* are indicators of hue. Based on the analysis of the relationship between L* and illuminance, as well as a* and b* with color temperature within the CIELAB color system, I proposed the following soil color correction equations according to varying lighting conditions. In this context, I and T represent the illuminance and Color temperature received by the soil, respectively. aL and fL denote the slope and intercept of the linear regression equation between the L* value of soil color and Illuminance, while aa and fa represent the slope and intercept of the linear regression equation between the a* value of soil color and color temperature, and ab and fb signify the slope and intercept of the linear regression equation between the b* value of soil color and color temperature. For dry soil, it was confirmed that the slopes (i.e., aL, aa, ab) in Equations (1) to (3) are similar, regardless of the type of sample. Ultimately, the following correction equation was proposed. Through the proposed method, it is possible to correct the soil color of soil samples captured under arbitrary lighting conditions to the desired soil color under specific lighting conditions. More detailed correction procedures are described in Baek et al. (2023). Epilogue The KICT is currently developing a digital image-based soil color analysis technology that can consider irregular lighting conditions in the field. As shown by the results of an analysis of captured images, it appears that the impact of irregular lighting conditions on soil color can be eliminated (or corrected) based on the CIELAB color system. Using the analysis results for dry soil samples, a lighting condition correction equation has been proposed. In addition, currently, analyses are being conducted for soil samples containing water. Once the analysis for water-containing unsaturated soils is completed, it will become possible to acquire soil color quickly and easily from digitally captured soil images in the field, regardless of moisture content, enabling statistical analysis. Department of Geotechnical Engineering Research Date2023-10-11 Hit 548
• Firefly Sensor Developed for the Monitoring of Ground Failures Firefly Sensor Developed for the Monitoring of Ground Failures ▲ Department of Geotechnical Engineering Research, KITC - Smart Sensor and System Developed to Detect Symptoms of Ground and Structural Failure - Field-deployable, Fast, and Accurate Technology that Contributes to Public Safety The Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) has developed a smart detection sensor (Firefly Sensor), which can detect signs of ground and structural failure, along with a real-time remote monitoring system. The technology was developed jointly with Disaster Safety Technology Co., Ltd., KICT's first research affiliated company, and EMTAKE Co., Ltd., a Korean venture company. The developed Firefly Sensor can be easily mounted in various high-risk areas where ground failures are a concern, with a spacing of 1 m to 2 m. In addition, it can detect deviations as small as 0.03° in real-time, surpassing the 0.05° threshold of the slope inclinometer criteria set by the Korea Forest Service for slope collapse. When a sign of collapse is detected, an immediate alert is triggered using LED illumination. The LED alert utilizes high-efficiency optical transmission lens technology, enabling managers and workers on site to visually confirm the alert, even at a distance of 100 m during daylight hours. Site conditions can be simultaneously and remotely monitored from the control room in real time, facilitating additional measures such as sharing the risk situation with related institutions. In addition, the sensor offers easy installation, resulting in more than a 50% cost savings compared to the installation and operation expenses of conventional measurement sensors. It offers the advantage of operating for a full year without battery replacement, thanks to its ultra-low power design. Additionally, the sensor is designed to operate reliably in extreme temperatures ranging from -30°C to 80°C, and is considered especially suitable for regions with distinct seasonal variations. The Firefly Sensor is equipped with an algorithm technology that prevents malfunctions by analyzing and assessing risks based on the installation location. This means that it can be utilized in a range of locations that includes construction and civil engineering sites, aging buildings, cultural heritage and fortress structures, steep slopes, areas prone to landslides, tunnel construction, mines and underground structures, bridges, dams, areas where erosion protection is needed, and more. Currently, the Firefly Sensor is being operated in pilot installations that include Jeju Lava Cave, water treatment and sewage plants in Incheon, cut slopes and mountain slopes along national highways, the KINTEX station section of the GTX-A route, construction sites for apartment complexes in Daejeon and Damyang-gun, and LG chemical factories. It has also been incorporated into the design of the extension project for the 2023 Sin Bonding Line. It is expected that its application in national infrastructure construction projects, including in the demolition of buildings, will increase. This achievement would not have been possible without the support of the Ministry of Science and ICT, specifically as part of the KICT's main project (Regional Cooperation Project) entitled "Development of Jeju-type Ground Subsidence Response System for Road Safety Operation (2020-2022)." Department of Geotechnical Engineering Research Date2023-06-27 Hit 600
• Using Robotic Technology to Inspect Underground Spaces Using Robotic Technology to Inspect Underground Spaces ▲ Senior Research Fellow Lee Seong-won and Research Specialist Shim Seung-bo, Department of Geotechnical Engineering Research Complex and Diverse Underground Spaces The underground space of the city is a familiar place. It has huge shopping malls, serves as a passageway for transportation, and becomes a workplace as well. With the full utilization of underground spaces, the range of human activity has been expanded greatly, but is also naturally accompanied by risks. There are various risk factors such as collapse or flooding that accompany the underground space. The Department of Geotechnical Engineering Research at KICT is researching geotechnical engineering technologies that are essential to civil engineering construction, such as for tunnels and underground spaces, structural foundations, slopes, soft ground, and earthquakes. “Based on our current progress in research and development, the Department of Geotechnical Engineering Research is working with a focus on four major research subjects. To be specific, when constructing earthworks and foundation structures, they are classified under “development of technologies for automation of quality control,” “development of technologies for advanced management of three-dimensional infrastructure,” “development of technologies for securing safety of earthquake response facilities,” and “development of technologies for utilizing large underground spaces.” Members of the department are dedicated to the research based on expertise in their respective field. With our cutting-edge research achievements, we are leading the development of technologies for South Korea’s underground spaces.” With industrialization progressing in earnest, Korea's underground spaces are also becoming more and more complex. As the highways were built, tunnels through mountains were also constructed in various places, and recently the world's fifth longest undersea tunnel was opened in Boryeong. Research Specialist Sim Seung-bo explains that the underground space in Korea can be largely classified into railway tunnels, road tunnels, undersea tunnels, and utility-pipe conduit tunnels based on characteristics such as shape, size, and use. “The longest high-speed rail tunnel in South Korea is the Yulhyeon Tunnel, which is 50.25 km long and connects Suseo Station in Seoul to Jije Station in Pyeongtaek. The recently completed Boryeong Undersea Tunnel is one of the undersea tunnels, stretching to a length of 6.93 km. Finally, the most important tunnel is the utility-pipe conduit tunnel. This tunnel contains systems accommodating electricity, communication, heating, water, and conduit pipes necessary for living in the city. This tunnel is called a “lifeline” because it acts like the blood vessels that distribute energy to the body. Such tunnels are classified as national security facilities and are kept inaccessible to the general public.” Utility-pipe Conduit Accidents Leading to Large-scale Disasters A fire that broke out in the communication tunnel under the KT Ahyeon branch building on November 24, 2018 was an accident that clearly demonstrated the importance of the utility-pipe conduit tunnel. As a result of the accident, approximately 79 m of the communications tunnel on the first basement floor was burned out, and the Internet, mobile phone, and the wireless communications services provided by KT in the western area north of the Hangang River in Seoul became unavailable. “Unlike other tunnels, the utility-pipe conduit tunnel takes up space even for the internal accommodation facilities, so the space for people to move is very narrow. That was why it took so much time to extinguish the fire, which soon led to a large-scale accident. Based on the total amount of damage at that time alone, KRW 8 billion in property damage and KRW 30 billion in compensations were incurred. On the day of the accident, text messages were sent out to inform people, but no one could know why their phones were not working because the KT network was cut off.” It was called a digital disaster situation, where financial transactions and payment systems were cut off as the high-speed internet was unavailable at the time, and an elderly person in his 70s who could not report to 119 for help ended up dying due to the severance of communications. As a result, the scale and impact of direct and indirect damages in our daily life and society from an accident in the utility-pipe conduit tunnel raised the awareness that it could potentially lead to a bigger and more serious disaster than previously anticipated. Accordingly, thorough inspection and management of underground spaces including utility-pipe conduits have become much more important. “In Korea, infrastructure built during the period of economic development and growth are gradually approaching the end of their life expectancy, resulting in more frequent accidents. Such accidents can inevitably increase with aging, which has prompted us to take a closer look at practical ways to protect the safety of our citizens from such risks.” Robotic Technology Enabling Autonomous Travel and Inspection Periodic inspection is the most important means to safely manage underground space facilities. In particular, management through regular precision inspection is required. The conventional inspection method is known to have been carried out in a human-centered manner. Precision inspection is an inspection method where the inspector visually checks the damage point, then measures and records the size of the specific point using a crack gauge or crack detection microscope. In this case, it is said that it is not easy to diagnose the condition objectively because it inevitably involves the subjective judgment of the inspector. In addition, there are disadvantages in that costs are continuously required to improve safety through maintenance by increasing the frequency of inspection. The research team has developed technology for an automated inspection robot that travels inside the tunnel in the place of workers to inspect damage points on concrete structures. “The development of technology for automated inspection robots is divided into three phases: The phase of developing the core technology for each constituent technology, the phase of integration between constituent technologies, and the phase of on-site testing. In Phase 1, damage detection technology using deep learning as well as damage measurement technology using stereo vision are developed. In Phase 2, an inspection scenario according to the measurement result is implemented by linking the uncrewed moving object and the robot arm. Finally, automated inspection robotic technology is completed through on-site testing so that precision inspections can be performed in a tunnel environment.” The biggest advantage of automated inspection robotic technology is that it can be used flexibly in maintaining underground spaces based on the convergence of multiple core technologies. The robot is applied with technology for an uncrewed traveling object that can autonomously travel inside the tunnel, technology for the robot arm that can avoid complex internal accommodation facilities, and technology for the artificial intelligence sensor that can detect and measure damage points. This inspection technology was developed to also enable remote control through a wireless network, enabling convenient application by administrators. "The utility-pipe conduit is an underground lifeline; it is a tunnel that jointly accommodates communications lines, utility lines, and heating and gas pipes. In the past, tunnels and pipelines were laid in a complex urban underground system according to their respective uses, such as communications, utilities, and gas pipelines. To facilitate joint accommodation, it is essential to cut the costs of operating and maintaining utility-pipe conduits. It is expected that operation and maintenance costs can be reduced through the use of automated inspection robotic technology and that various accommodation facilities can be safely and efficiently managed within the utility-pipe conduit tunnel.” Provision of Safe and Sustainable Infrastructure The research team plans to continue its research to provide safe and sustainable infrastructure to society. The team will continue to advance this research in various forms and ultimately contribute its best efforts to the perfection of uncrewed and automated technologies for the maintenance of underground facilities. “In our future society, the aging of our population will be accelerated thanks to the extension of average life expectancy, while the economically active population will decrease accordingly. Under such circumstances, the maintenance of infrastructure relying on the workforce is expected to become more difficult. In response to these issues, we plan to develop the necessary technologies for automation and uncrewed maintenance and to further develop the technologies needed to enable automated damage repair.” Department of Geotechnical Engineering Research Date2022-03-28 Hit 1162
• Development of 3D Printing Materials for the Automation of Underwater Construction Development of 3D Printing Materials for the Automation of Underwater Construction ▲ Research Specialist Seoh Eun-a and Senior Researcher Lee Ho-jae, Department of Structural Engineering Research, KICT Prologue In 2024, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced through its "State of the Global Climate 2023" that global sea levels have been rising at a rate of 4.77 mm annually over the past decade, more than twice as fast as previous periods, while average sea surface temperatures reached record highs. With 40% of the world's population living within 100 km of coastlines, these rising sea levels mean that people are facing immediate challenges in securing living spaces and survival. As the need to secure marine resources and expand living areas increases, demand for coastal spaces is growing, with development expanding into underwater spaces. In Guam, Dubai, and the Maldives, underwater hotels and resorts have been built at depths of 5-6 meters, and are currently operational. In Korea, Hyundai E&C and the Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology (KIOST) have formed a consortium to build an underwater science base in the sea off Ulju-gun, Ulsan, with completion targeted for 2026. Furthermore, the development of new underwater construction technologies is expected to increase the construction of facilities for rapid recovery from natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes, which are becoming intensified by abnormal climate conditions, as well as preventive facilities from a disaster prevention perspective. Although demand for underwater structures is increasing, practical difficulties exist in the construction and quality control of underwater projects. In particular, the underwater construction field faces increasing safety risks due to a shortage of divers and the aging of the existing diver work force, creating a growing demand for underwater construction automation technologies. There is also an increasing demand for automation technologies for the repair and reinforcement of various underwater structures, such as water intake and discharge structures, dams, and underwater portions of bridges. When constructing underwater structures, high-performance structural and material technologies that can withstand water pressure are essential, and there also are challenges related to weather conditions. To overcome these environmental challenges, the application of technologies that minimize diver deployment through the use of underwater robots is expanding. Underwater robots can work even in strong currents, solve problems that are difficult for humans to address underwater, and improve the accuracy of construction through real-time filming and sensing technologies. KIOST opened the Underwater Construction Robotics R&D Center in 2013 in response to social demands for underwater construction automation. This R&D Center developed robotic technologies for six years until 2019, and pursued demonstration and dissemination projects for four years until 2022. In particular, the Underwater Construction Robotics R&D Center developed three types of robots: a light-duty swimming ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle), a heavy-duty swimming ROV, and a track-based robot for underwater welding, subsea cable burial, underwater structure installation, and pipeline burial work. Due to the absence of on-site construction technology for underwater structures, 3D printing technology for underwater construction emerged as an automation solution to address this technical gap, as construction 3D printing technology is known to be applicable in extreme environments like space habitat creation. With recent global initiatives for underwater city development and the construction of offshore structures connected to underwater environments, research on underwater construction 3D printing technology is expanding worldwide. This article briefly discusses the current status and direction of development of 3D printing materials for underwater construction automation. Required Performance of 3D Printing Materials for Underwater Construction Concrete is a material that requires sufficient flowability to fill formwork properly. However, materials for 3D printing need to have the opposite characteristics—they must maintain their shape after extrusion, and resist deformation from external forces as they are continuously stacked. Generally, construction 3D printing technology consists of three stages: production, pumping, and printing. Since cementitious materials decrease in flowability and harden over time, material development must be aligned with the entire system, from production to printing. If materials harden too quickly, blockages can occur inside the equipment; on the other hand, if flowability decreases too slowly, the materials will not stack properly. Because cementitious materials are difficult to control even with subtle changes in raw materials and are sensitive to temperature and humidity changes, the development and property control of construction 3D printing materials is the most difficult and critical technology. Concrete is a mixture of cement, water, sand, and gravel, taking at least 8 hours to harden after mixing. Since components can be washed away when in contact with water before hardening, placing concrete underwater presents technical challenges. For underwater construction 3D printing materials, printability, stackability, dimensional stability, and dynamic performance are key. The transportation and printing performance of 3D printing materials can be quantified through flowability and rheology evaluation, and the application of undersegregation water anti-cementitious materials is essential. Generally, to ensure layer stackability and dimensional stability, a method of adjusting the nozzle movement speed (stacking speed) according to the stacking path is used. Most construction 3D printing materials use mortar, a mixture of water, cementitious materials, and fine aggregates. For 3D printing technology to be practically usable, faster printing speeds than current mortar 3D printing technology are required, as mortar 3D printing has limitations when it comes to improving the one-time printing area of a layer. However, 3D printing materials mixed with coarse aggregates have an advantage in that the coarse aggregates within the layers provide support and friction, making it easier to increase layer height. Accordingly, research on technologies applying coarse aggregates to aerial and underwater 3D printing for construction has been expanding globally since 2020. Performance Verification of 3D Printing Technology for Underwater Construction From 2020 to 2022, the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) conducted research on "Development of Concrete Composite Materials for Underwater Stacked Placement." Through this research, concrete composite materials with an underwater stacked compressive strength of 30 MPa or more and an underwater/aerial compressive strength ratio of 80% were developed, along with underwater concrete stacking experimental equipment capable of achieving a single layer height of 50 mm and a layer width of 100 mm. The developed underwater construction 3D printing technology underwent performance verification experiments in a large water tank and at the KICT's breakwater testing facility. Concrete specimens were produced under identical conditions in both underwater and aerial environments using the developed underwater construction 3D printing technology, and layer width and height, total height of the stacked structure, and compressive strength were measured. In a static water tank environment, the underwater stacked concrete achieved a compressive strength of 62.8 MPa, which was 99% of the aerial compressive strength. The underwater printed components had a layer width of over 100 mm, a stacking thickness of 52.9 mm, and a deflection relative to the total height of the component of only 1 mm, demonstrating high dimensional stability (Figure 1). In addition, the performance of the underwater 3D printing material was evaluated under conditions simulating the average flow velocity of Busan New Port at the KICT's breakwater testing facility. During the printing stage, there was minimal separation of the 3D printing material, which maintained its shape during printing and achieved the target turbidity standard of 50 mg/l (Figure 2). Through these tests, it was confirmed that direct construction of structures using 3D printing technology is possible in underwater and current environments. Epilogue Underwater construction 3D printing technology is poised to become a key proprietary technology in the evolving field of construction convergence, with potential applications in extreme underwater environments like underwater cities and deep-sea bases. However, before it can be widely implemented in underwater construction projects, several practical challenges must be addressed. Currently, the technology shows promise in several areas, including creating artificial reefs tailored to support the growth of seaweed and shellfish, manufacturing custom replacement parts for damaged underwater structures, and building underwater structures to prevent coastal erosion. Furthermore, the development of repair and reinforcement technologies could lead to automation in underwater structure maintenance. With continued advancements, underwater 3D printing technology is expected to play a significant role in the repair and construction of underwater structures, opening the door to more efficient and scalable solutions in the field. References World Meteorological Organization (2024) State of the Global Climate 2023, 1347, 3-7. Korea Institute of Marine Science & Technology Promotion (KIMST) under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (2023), Final Report on the Development of Concrete Composite Materials for Underwater Stacked Placement Department of Structural Engineering Research Date2025-03-26 Hit 249
• Special Bridge Safety Inspection Technology Utilizing Robots Special Bridge Safety Inspection Technology Utilizing Robots ▲ Senior Researcher Seo Dong-woo, KICT Department of Structural Engineering Research Prologue Most of the structures currently constructed as special bridges in Korea (collectively referring to cable-stayed bridges on which the measurement system is built) are constructed in the form of cable-stayed bridges or suspension bridges. Since the service life required for special bridges is more than 100 years, the stability, durability, and usability of the structure must be secured (KSCE, 2006). Damage to cables, which is one of the key deficiencies in special bridges, is a major factor reducing bridge safety and shortening service life. Cable damage is caused not only by environmental factors (climate, load, earthquake, etc.) but also by unpredictable accidents such as fire or collision. If a bridge in public use must suspend its operation due to cable damage, the economic and social losses are enormous (Na et al., 2014). In Korea, there was an accident in which one out of a total of 144 construction materials was completely broken and two were partially damaged by a cable fire at Seohae Bridge (cable-stayed bridge) (Gil et al., 2016). Although studies aiming to develop various inspection technologies for the safety and maintenance of cables are being conducted, there is a limit to the applicability of these technologies to special bridges, especially to cables, which are large facilities, due to limitations in the mobility and accessibility of equipment. To address this, efforts to develop a cable inspection robot capable of non-destructive testing are ongoing (Kim et al., 2014). To apply the inspection robot to cables, it is necessary to secure its field usability by using a wireless system and minimizing dead-weight. In this article, I would like to introduce a cable inspection robot equipped with an electromagnetic sensor to improve the driving stability, which was pointed out as a disadvantage of existing inspection robots, and to detect whether the inside of the cable is damaged. Design and Specifications of Cable Inspection Robot In making the cable inspection robot, we focused on the applicability of large diameter cables over 200 mm and securing the robot's driving stability. Figure 1 shows the 3D image of the cable inspection robot and its main devices. The dimensions of the robot are 510 mm × 610 mm × 710 mm, and the weight is reduced to 12.8 kg. In addition, to improve durability, the frame of the robot was made of aluminum. A high-resolution IP camera (1920 × 1080 pixels) was installed to take pictures of the exterior of the cable, enabling real-time cable shot images to be transmitted with a wireless Wi-Fi router. Furthermore, the movement distance of the robot could be calculated using an acceleration sensor and a rotary encoder. Three driving motors (IG-32GM, DC12) and urethane wheels were installed so that the robot can move on the cable while minimizing its shaking during climbing. In addition, a variable diameter adjustment part (140-300 mm) was made to improve the adhesion between wheel and cable. The wireless remote control of the robot uses IEEE 802.11 an/ac 5 GHz 2×2 MIMO to achieve a communication distance of 10 km and a data transmission rate of up to 867 Mbps. Damage to the steel wire of cables is detected with an electromagnetic sensor. As shown in Figure 2, the principle applied is that the polarity is divided again at the damaged area when the cable breaks or gets damaged. As shown in Figure 3, the sensing device mounted on the inspection robot for cable damage detection consists of pipe diameter adjusting units that can be adjusted according to the cable diameter and a roller for moving on the cable surface. Also, the electromagnetic sensor for detecting cable damage is inserted in the middle of the roller part. Performance Evaluation of Cable Inspection Robot Indoor and outdoor tests to evaluate the driving performance of the cable inspection robot were conducted as shown in Figure 4. One cable-stayed bridge with a history of cable accidents was selected as a test bed bridge for field tests of bridges currently in public use. The bridge is a short-span earth-anchored steel composite cable-stayed bridge with a span length of 400 m and a width of 23.9 m, on a four-lane road (two ways). The field cable (200 mm) had an inclination angle of 27.3 degrees, and the indoor test was conducted at 45 degrees. With the verification test, the climbing speed (19 cm/s) and the descent speed (20 cm/s) were evaluated, and it was confirmed that the robot is effectively controlling its speed when the speed increases due to slipping that may occur during the descent. It was also confirmed that the driving speed was constant regardless of the inclination angle. In addition, real-time images of the cable surface were taken with three cameras in the field test, and as shown in Figure 5, it was confirmed that visual inspection of the cable was possible. No communication-related problems occurred during the performance verification test. The cable damage detection test was conducted indoors. The cable specimen used in the indoor test is a type of cable currently used in bridges, and the inner cable consists of 20 pieces of one bundle composed of seven 1.57 mm strands. For the cable sheathing, the same High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) tube used in the driving capability test was used. To detect cable damage, damage types were artificially simulated as shown in Figure 6. Cut damage was subdivided according to the degree of cross-sectional cut into 30%, 50%, and 100% cut (break). For disengagement damage, the case where the cable protruded to the outside in a tidy state was reproduced. For disconnection, one cable was made short. Figure 7 shows the results of the test conducted indoors. In the graph, the X-axis is time and the Y-axis is the electromagnetic sensor measurement. It can be seen that the phase of the electromagnetic sensor measurement changed by 180 degrees at the point where damage (cut) took place. On the other hand, it was confirmed that the phase of the electromagnetic sensor measured value did not change during disconnection, but the magnitude of the magnetic field increased. To secure the reliability of the experimental results, it is considered that additional experiments are needed, with more diverse damage types and repeatability than those conducted in this study. Epilogue This article introduced the development of a cable inspection robot capable of measuring large-diameter cables over 200 mm. The developed cable inspection robot has expanded its field applicability by improving its driving ability, driving stability, and wireless communication performance. The possibility of detecting damage to the inside of the cable using an electromagnetic sensor was verified through an indoor test. However, it is considered necessary to further improve inspection efficiency by developing an analysis algorithm that in addition to detecting the presence of cable damage can determine the degree and type of damage through additional tests. If facility maintenance technology using inspection robots is continuously advanced and applied, it is expected that it will greatly contribute to facility safety management. This cable inspection robot was developed with budget support by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport. It has been handed over to the Korea Authority of Land & Infrastructure Safety and is being used for the maintenance of general national highway special bridges. Department of Structural Engineering Research Date2022-09-27 Hit 882
• Development of Nondestructive Evaluation Technology for PSC Structures (PSC Stethoscope) Development of Nondestructive Evaluation Technology for PSC Structures (PSC Stethoscope) ▲ Senior Researcher Park Kwang-yeun, KICT Department of Structural Engineering Research The Aging of PSC Structures and Need for External PS Tendon Nondestructive Testing Whether at home or abroad, in countries where civilization has progressed rapidly, a number of bridges containing the essence of civil engineering technology have been built, allowing logistics and passengers to quickly cross rivers and valleys. In South Korea as well, befitting a civilized country, many bridges have been built and are playing numerous roles. These bridges enable convenient crossing of the Han River to bind the Gangbuk and Gangnam areas into a single city, overcome mountain valleys to greatly increase accessibility to mountainous regions, and connect islands to the mainland. It is found that 38% of these bridges were built using pre-stressed concrete (PSC) structures. Given the fact that a large number of bridges have been built since the 1980s and 1990s when Korea's economy grew rapidly, it can be assumed that the development of safety diagnosis technology for PSC structures older than 30 years is urgent. As the name suggests, the pre-stressed tendon (PS tendon) plays the most critical role in the PSC structure. PS tendons can be broadly classified into external PS tendons and internal PS tendons. For example, regarding external PS tendons, there was a case of enormous economic and social loss in 2016 due to corrosion of external PS tendons on Jeongneungcheon Viaduct, the inner ring road in Seoul, raising public awareness of the need for safety diagnosis (Figure 1). State of External PS Tendon Nondestructive Testing Technology Taking the Jeongneungcheon Viaduct case as an opportunity, the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) conducted the KICT Blind Test (2016), targeting domestic and foreign nondestructive testing technologies to investigate the technology that can assess the integrity of external PS tendons. The integrity of the external PS tendon can be checked using three indicators: sectional damage, stress, and voids. However, for stress, no organization possessed the related technology, regardless of location at home or abroad, and for voids, only one French company (Advitam) applied for and demonstrated a detection rate of about 73%. Among the three indicators, cross-sectional damage is the most important and direct indicator. Of the ten local and foreign companies that applied for related nondestructive technology, only two companies, Tokyo-Rope of Japan and Instron of Russia, showed valid results, and none of the Korean companies demonstrated valid results. As for the technology of the two companies, which showed valid results, we came to the conclusion that it would be difficult to apply it in the field unless the cost, usability, size, and weight of equipment were improved. Development of Nondestructive Evaluation Technology for PSC Structures (PSC Stethoscope) For this reason, the KICT initiated a study to develop a proprietary technology that can inspect cross-section damage, stress state, and voids by conducting nondestructive testing of external PS tendons. The cross-sectional damage and stress use the magnetic properties of the external PS tendon made of metal, and the presence or absence of voids is inspected by applying radar technology. In this article, I would like to briefly introduce a technology for nondestructive testing of sectional damage, which is the most important indicator to assess the integrity of PS tendons. Underlying Concept of Nondestructive Testing Sensor Figure 2 shows the conceptual diagram of the developed electromagnetic sensor installed on the external PS tendon. Although the external PS tendon (the red-brown part in Figure 2) is actually paved with ducts and grouts, the magnetic properties of the duct and grout are almost the same as that of air (or vacuum). Therefore, it can be assumed that there is no magnetic property. The electromagnetic sensor is largely made up of three parts: the primary coil (yellow part in Figure 2), the secondary coil (orange part in Figure 2), and the fixing frame (purple part in Figure 2). The fixing frame is made of plastic that does not respond to magnetic fields. The primary coil is a kind of electromagnet that generates a magnetic field inside the sensor by flowing electricity, and the magnitude of the generated magnetic field is a function of the cross-sectional area of the external PS tendon, a metal component that penetrates the inside of the sensor. The secondary coil is wound to wrap the external PS tendon several times, and if the magnetic field inside the sensor is changed by varying the current applied to the primary coil, an induced current proportional to the magnetic field change is generated in the secondary coil. Using this principle, when AC electricity having a sine wave shape of constant amplitude is passed through the primary coil, AC electricity having an amplitude positively correlated with the cross-sectional area of the external PS tendon is induced in the secondary coil. Therefore, the cross-sectional area of the external PS tendon can be estimated by analyzing the amplitude of the induced AC electricity. The cross-sectional area of the metal component decreases when the external PS tendon is broken or rusted (iron oxide does not respond to a magnetic field). So, it is possible to estimate corrosion and break from the reduction in the cross-section. Development of Sensors Optimized for Field Work As can be seen from Figure 2, the sensor using this principle should have a closed circuit that wraps the external PS tendon. Tokyo-Rope of Japan and Instron of Russia, who were introduced earlier, also share the concepts and basic ideas mentioned above (of course, if you look at the details, they are quite different). However, Japanese and Russian technologies require winding work or equivalent work at the site, as shown in Figure 3, to make a closed circuit wrapping the external PS tendon, which takes a considerable amount of time. Consequently, workability is poor. In addition, since the sensor condition changes every time it is installed, the reliability of the sensor is lowered, and it is disadvantageous to work in the narrow passageway inside the bridge because all the sensor parts must be carried separately to be moved. On the other hand, the electromagnetic sensor developed by the KICT is divided into two, as shown in Figure 4, so with a little mastery, it can be installed within one to two minutes. Furthermore, it was ensured that the reliability of the sensor does not decrease, no matter how many times it is repeatedly installed, by composing the main junction with a highly reliable ready-made connector. The total weight is 5 kg and each side weighs about 2.5 kg, so it is not too heavy for a person to carry. If this sensor is installed as shown in Figure 5 and scanned at an appropriate speed along the external PS tendon, the change in the cross-sectional area can be inspected by performing a nondestructive test for the concerned section. Decision-making Technology Using Signal Processing and Artificial Intelligence Figure 6 shows the results applied to the specimens made to test the developed non-destructive equipment. The cross-sectional area simulating the damage as well as the damaged section are schematized at the top of the Figure. The result, measured by the same process as in Figure 5, is shown as the green line in Figure 6, but it is difficult to distinguish with the naked eyes because the amplitude change is insignificant. When the measured signal goes through several stages of signal processing, such as amplitude demodulation, to help assess the integrity of the external PS tendon using the measurements from the magnetic sensor, the result shown in the red line in Figure 6 can be obtained. In the red line, it can be seen that the change according to the damage to the PS tendon is clearly distinguished. However, a lot of experience is needed to distinguish whether these changes are caused by damage or noise. In addition, it is difficult to obtain information about the extent of the damage. To solve this problem, we developed an algorithm that uses a shallow FRP nerve sensor to specify the location of the damage, as shown in the blue dot in Figure 6, and predicts the ratio of the damage cross-section and even the length of the damage. Moreover, a number of specimens, as shown in Figure 7, were made and used to study artificial intelligence. Epilogue The KICT has developed a technology for nondestructive testing of the external PS tendon, a major element of the PSC structure, to prevent situations such as the Jeongneungcheon Viaduct that occurred in 2016 from being repeated. This technology uses the principle of nondestructive testing of the cross-sectional area made of metal with the application of electromagnetism and enables the repair and reinforcement of the PSC structure by detecting breaks and corrosion of the external PS tendon in advance. We not only developed sensors but also developed technology to help decision-making by improving the usability of sensors and applying signal processing and artificial intelligence to measured signals. The usability of the sensor is continuously improving through close communication with the companies currently in demand. Also, in the case of signal processing and artificial intelligence to help decision making, the algorithm is being enhanced and the accuracy is increased by adding learning data. We are also developing technology for the nondestructive testing of cables in cable bridges using the same principle. If the technology introduced here is completed and enters the bridge maintenance market, it will be possible to prevent huge economic losses through preemptive maintenance of bridges and to help avoid social losses caused by inconvenience to many people. Department of Structural Engineering Research Date2022-06-27 Hit 750
• Research Directions for Smart Road Infrastructure for Future Mobility Researcher:Ryu Seung-ki, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Highway & Transportation Research, KICT Prologue Currently, South Korea’s road infrastructure is suffering due to traffic congestion, environmental pollution, and various traffic accidents, all of which are the result of an imbalance between regional traffic demand and road supply. In addition, the roads are aging, and due to climate change, the rate of road deterioration is accelerating. With increasing socio-economic damages caused by these factors, it is clear that “smart” roads are needed to extend the service life of roads and maintain normalcy, and innovative research and development to realize this must be pursued. Smart roads are envisioned as future roads that can assess their current state based on past and present data and predict future conditions to proactively and quickly restore road abnormalities. Roads, being public goods, are spaces where risks will always exist, and thus substantial finance must be allocated for their maintenance and recovery to ensure their permanence and resilience. We must continue the efforts to supply smart road technologies by researching and developing optimal solutions. Smart roads can be realized by improving mobility for various modes of transportation, such as automobiles, railways, Urban Air Mobility (UAM), subways, and buses, enhancing connectivity between these modes, and introducing innovative transportation systems. The core technologies in realizing smart roads involve traditional road and transportation technologies, along with ICT convergence technologies such as AI, IoT, big data analytics, and V2X, with recent advancements in AI technology and its wide-ranging applicability making it an essential strategic technology for smart roads. Smart roads must focus on the development of core technologies for future mobility across the entire process, from planning and construction to maintenance. In the planning and construction stages, calculating, analyzing, and predicting materials, time, and costs can help manage resources efficiently while also saving costs. In the construction and maintenance stages, smart road technologies will play a critical role in quality and safety management. Future infrastructure research and development policies for roads must introduce more innovative research programs and government policies to address current traffic issues and respond to upcoming changes in future mobility. The Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) is engaged in research and development in the field of core technologies for future transportation infrastructure, with the Department of Highway and Transportation Research playing a central role. Research Directions and Achievements in Smart Road Infrastructure From 2021 to 2024, the Department of Highway and Transportation Research has been focused on developing core technologies for smart road infrastructure for future mobility. The key research areas have been set as future mobility, sustainable and eco-friendly roads, international and regional cooperation, and the construction of future road demonstration infrastructure. Notably, the future mobility sector has been focused on developing autonomous cooperative driving infrastructure and service technologies, with research and development centered around road infrastructure. In 2021, the first year of the Department of Highway and Transportation Research, research planning focused on road facility safety, digital transition services, traffic signal systems, active road icing accident reduction, wireless charging energy road infrastructure, smart mobility MaaS (Mobility as a Service), and AR-based vehicle location recognition technologies. In 2022, representative and seed projects were actively conducted. Research and development were focused on technologies for safe future roads, road infrastructure for autonomous driving safety, and driver assistance technologies based on vehicle video recorders. At the same time, tasks were planned for intelligent road safety management systems and public transportation infrastructure service diagnosis technologies, in response to policy demands. In 2023, the department continued to support representative projects and initiated planning for tasks such as digital twin services for road risk management, smart parking platforms, and vehicle tire data-based road information services. In 2024, new core projects were launched, including AI Safe Road technology for next-generation neighborhood environments and plastic road infrastructure technology for autonomous driving. Seed projects such as video-based road risk element detection technology, parking lot digital transition technology, and road traffic noise model design were also pursued. While much research and development have been conducted for high-spec trunk roads such as highways and national roads, research and development on local roads, narrow roads, and mixed-use pedestrian and vehicle roads have been relatively scarce. Moreover, the ultimate goal of future mobility will be a safe last-mile autonomous driving service. Smart road infrastructure for future mobility can be realized through a variety of core technologies, and we are proactively researching these to ensure their integration into follow-up projects, practical application, and responsiveness to policy demands. In particular, increasing the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) is crucial. To achieve this, we are developing various AI applications and core technologies that integrate AI into existing road systems. Summarizing the achievements of the Headquarters Purpose-Specific R&R projects carried out from 2021 to 2024, the Purpose-Specific R&R projects played a pivotal role in paving the way for large follow-up projects, yielding excellent results. Over the three years, 12 subprojects under the Purpose-Specific R&R initiative were connected to 17 follow-up projects, ensuring continuous research and development. Achievements in the Development of AI-Based Road Infrastructure Application Services for Future Mobility In the course of the Purpose-Specific R&R projects, we would like to introduce the AI application mobility service technology for smart road infrastructure, which we have secured as part of future mobility. First, we present a solution to accidents related to road potholes, which have been repeatedly identified as high-risk objects on the road. Autonomous vehicles continue to face challenges in detecting high-risk objects such as potholes using visual recognition. Solutions for detecting such difficult objects require highly reliable detection performance. We have developed the first domestic AI-based road pothole detection solution using black box video footage, and through ongoing research and development to enhance object detection performance under limited perception conditions, are striving to create the world's highest-performing solution. If an AI application solution is secured that can achieve a high level of performance in detecting and recognizing high-risk objects and perception limitations on the road, smart road infrastructure will be able to automatically identify damages such as cracks, subsidence, and potholes on the road. This will lead to efficient maintenance, and transform the infrastructure into a future mobility system that collaborates with autonomous vehicles. Next, residential area roads involve various dynamic objects moving simultaneously, such as pedestrians, vehicles, and motorcycles. These situations will pose a challenge for fully autonomous driving services. Therefore, a solution is needed that enables the smart road infrastructure to recognize these dynamic objects and collaborate with autonomous vehicles. We have proactively developed a multi-object classification solution for narrow roads with a mix of dynamic objects. This solution allows smart road infrastructure to autonomously detect the presence of dynamic objects, their movement trajectories, and parked objects, while also classifying them. Narrow roads, such as alleys, are often obstructed by illegally parked vehicles or other obstacles, making it difficult to assess potential blockages or inaccessible routes for emergency vehicles like fire trucks and ambulances. This can lead to a failure to achieve the critical "golden time" needed to reach the destination, thus increasing the risk of damage. We have developed a smart road infrastructure solution that predicts the effective lane width or accessible routes for narrow roads to secure the golden time. This solution can be applied to video-based traffic accident risk prediction and information provision services. It detects the boundaries of various objects on narrow roads and excludes the objects occupying the road surface to calculate the actual effective road area. By calculating the effective lane width frame by frame, this solution can provide real-time information to emergency vehicles and administrative authorities. For fully autonomous driving, it is essential to secure traffic signal detection and classification technology based on vehicle-mounted cameras. Autonomous vehicles must detect traffic signals ahead and recognize their signal states using visual sensors. To ensure the highest level of autonomous driving safety, fully autonomous vehicles need to use image sensor data to accurately detect traffic signal objects and classify them by type. However, there are still significant challenges in detecting traffic signals when the signal object is small relative to the background or when the contrast with the background is low. We are developing a solution to address these difficult-to-detect recognition issues and improve performance in challenging situations. Research and Development Policies on AI in the US and China The United States recognizes artificial intelligence (AI) technology as a strategic technology directly linked to national security, and is promoting related policies. Under the Biden administration, executive orders were issued at the federal level to develop and spread trustworthy AI, while strengthening international cooperation in response to the emerging potential risks of AI. The policy to ensure the safety and reliability of AI as a national security technology is expected to continue during the Trump 2.0 era under the National AI Initiative Act (2020). Korea must prepare an AI strategy to respond to the Trump 2.0 era. US initiatives in this period can be expected to focus on emphasizing the safety and reliability of AI technology, while maintaining US global leadership through the reinforcement of export controls and technology management related to national security. In response, Korea needs to adopt a balanced policy that proactively addresses global regulatory environments while aligning with the US-led competitive framework for AI technology development and industrial promotion. Strengthening technological alliances with the US and ensuring the ethical use and reliability of AI technology while harmonizing with international regulations is essential. In addition, domestic policies such as the "BASIC ACT ON AI" must be designed to align with global standards, supporting the international expansion of domestic companies and minimizing the impact of the US's export controls and strengthened technology management. At the same time, to secure independent competitiveness in AI technology, it is crucial to increase national investment in research and development (R&D), strengthen global cooperation networks, and foster a comprehensive strategy to support the domestic startup and corporate ecosystem. According to the draft of the 2024 budget report submitted to the Annual Session of the National People’s Congress, China has allocated 371 billion yuan for scientific and technological R&D, with 98 billion yuan (approximately KRW 18 trillion) specifically earmarked for basic science research in fields like physics and chemistry. The Chinese government is emphasizing a "scientific and technological revolution" and is focusing on the development of technologies such as the 72-qubit superconducting quantum computer, hydrogen energy, commercial aerospace technology, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI). Amid escalating tensions as the US restricts China’s access to key technologies like semiconductors, AI, and quantum computing, China appears determined to avoid falling behind in the global power struggle by expanding its investment in science and technology. Furthermore, China believes that "high-quality development" is a prerequisite to achieving stable growth, viewing independent and innovative science and technology as a driving force of national growth. Recently, China’s AI company DeepThink gained attention by achieving results comparable to OpenAI's models. As scientific and technological innovation is the foundation for the growth of major powers, we must review and adjust our research and development directions accordingly. Epilogue The research and development of smart road infrastructure for future mobility should focus on integrating autonomous vehicles with smart roads, advanced road safety services, and AI-powered smart roads. Core technologies for smart road infrastructure require policy enhancements such as data sharing, standardization, and the expansion of the data application industry to improve efficiency and safety. The Department of Highway and Transportation Research should concentrate on developing core technologies for smart road infrastructure that collaborate with future mobility. This requires the building of data-driven analytical capabilities specific to road traffic, which in turn will help develop internal capabilities for utilizing road traffic infrastructure-based AI technologies, enabling long-term growth and adaptation to government policy changes. Furthermore, to strengthen global competitiveness, it is essential to engage in international cooperation projects and collaborative research initiatives, as well as to expand proof-of-concept research on societal issues by utilizing real-scale smart road infrastructure test beds. In the future, smart road infrastructure will enhance mobility, accessibility, convenience, and safety through cooperative operation between smart roads and autonomous vehicles. To effectively respond to the emergence of future mobility, it is crucial to continuously develop and prepare core technologies for smart road infrastructure. References Ryu Seung-ki et al. (2024) Development of Core Technologies for Future Smart Transportation Infrastructure, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) Lee Hae-soo & Yoo Jae-hong (2025) Current Status and Implications of U.S. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety and Reliability Policies, Software Policy & Research Institute (SPRi) Department of Highway & Transportation Research Date2025-06-23 Hit 50
• Research on Nano-Scale Material Evaluation Methods for Securing Advanced Construction Material Design Technologies Research on Nano-Scale Material Evaluation Methods for Securing Advanced Construction Material Design Technologies ▲ Research Fellow Yun Tae-young, Department of Highway & Transportation Research, KICT R&D Methods in Advanced Materials In the advanced materials fields such as biotechnology, chemical engineering, semiconductor and battery technologies, where accuracy and speed are core factors in materials development competitiveness, there has been a shift away from traditional trial-and-error experimental methods. Instead, computational science and material informatics are now actively utilized for materials development. This approach replaces simple regression analysis methods that identify correlations between material names or compositions and their properties with the establishment of Quantitative Structure and Property Relationships (QSPR), which predict material properties by utilizing molecular structural characteristics, composition, and interactions. The key difference between these approaches is that while regression analysis methods cannot predict properties for materials not included in the database, QSPR methods can predict the properties of materials with similar molecular structures or molecular bonding characteristics, even if they weren't included in the original database. Figure 1 conceptually illustrates the differences and relationships between traditional research and development methodologies and recent research and development approaches for materials development. Today, material research and development no longer relies solely on limited data obtained through experiments. The molecular structure and composition of materials for development are used to calculate the energy required for molecular bonding and separation through molecular dynamics or quantum mechanics. These dynamic theories can also be applied to calculate various physical properties, such as density, elastic modulus, viscosity, solubility, and adhesion strength. Figure 2 shows the solubility and adhesion strength resulting from interactions between non-crystalline and crystalline structures within materials, using molecular dynamics or quantum mechanics. Application of Nanoscale Material Development Methods to Construction Materials With the growing demand for higher safety, methods for evaluating the structural and functional adequacy of construction materials are becoming more refined. In addition, the growing interest in the environmental impact of construction materials and improved performance has made the development process for new materials more complex. For example, while simple engineering properties were previously used to evaluate asphalt binders for road pavements, mechanical properties, such as viscoelasticity and elastic recovery—which require complex equipment and theoretical understanding to ascertain—have been utilized since a U.S. research program was proposed in 1987. Furthermore, as heating materials like carbon nanotubes and graphite are being considered as road additives for snow melting functions, the complexity of experiments for evaluating materials performance is expected to increase. Highly complex materials with diverse functions tend to show sensitivity in their evaluation properties depending on experimental methods and procedures. Consequently, efforts to compensate for method and procedure-related issues, such as preferring experimental evaluations on full-scale components, significantly increase evaluation time and costs. Nanoscale material evaluation methods that predict properties based on computational data utilizing nanoscale molecular structure and composition are relatively highly efficient in terms of time and cost. Figure 3 shows various qualitative variables that can be considered when using molecular dynamics for the asphalt mixtures used in road pavements, including material and additive types, aging effects, and moisture content. These qualitative variables are broken down into special quantitative information, such as molecular structure composition, and are used in machine learning along with properties like solubility, adhesion energy, tensile strength, viscosity, and elastic modulus to design new construction materials or predict the properties of new designs that weren't used in the training process. Future of Nanoscale Construction Material Development Methods and Construction Material Technology In the past, South Korea's construction technology development strategy took a “fast follower” approach, with companies quickly adopting and internalizing technologies first developed in advanced countries. This fast follower strategy is expected to continue due to Korea’s cultural characteristics that expect quick results, constraints on national budget, an economic-centered selection and concentration logic resulting from cultural characteristics, and limitations on the expandability of the domestic construction market. However, in a situation where information has become generalized and barriers between fields are lowering due to the universalization of convergent scientific and technological development methodologies, the construction field's technology development cannot continue to emphasize only system integration roles. To provide essential construction technologies to the public in a timely, efficient, and stable manner, which primarily serves the national interest, technology development in construction areas that are difficult for other fields to approach—due to low added value or high entry barriers to expertise—is necessary. It is anticipated that if nanoscale construction materials development technology, which is difficult to approach from other fields due to low homogeneity and complex environmental applications, is successfully implemented, it could become a good example of system integration including core technologies in the construction field. References Yun Tae-young (2024) Research Methods Using Materials Informatics and Molecular Dynamics for the Development of Road Pavement Materials (I). Korean Society of Road Engineers (KSRE) v. 26, no. 4, pp. 45-58. Yun Tae-young, Moon Jae-pil, Shim Seung-bo, Joo Hyun-jin (2024) Genetic Algorithm–Partial Least Squares Regression Model for Predicting Density from Asphalt Binder Molecular Descriptors. Korean Society of Road Engineers (KSRE) v.26, no.4, pp.69-78. I. Jeon, J. Lee, T. Lee, T. Yun, S. Yang (2024) In Silico Simulation Study on Moisture-and Salt Water-induced Degradation of Asphalt Concrete Mixture, Construction and Building Materials v.417. Department of Highway & Transportation Research Date2025-03-26 Hit 747
• Developing Demand-Responsive Mobility Services Based on Autonomous Driving Technology: A Vision for the Future of Public Transportation Developing Demand-Responsive Mobility Services Based on Autonomous Driving Technology: A Vision for the Future of Public Transportation ▲ Research Specialist Jang Ji-yong, Department of Highway & Transportation Research, KICT Prologue The city of Seoul began its operation of autonomous buses in Cheonggyecheon in November 2022, which was followed by the launch of late-night autonomous buses running between Hapjeong Station and Dongdaemun Station in December 2023. Both of these were public transportation services provided along limited, fixed routes, with a driver's seat and a driver on board, yet are examples of commercialized public transportation services leveraging autonomous driving technology at the local government level. In the past, services such as Hyundai's "Shucle," "Zero Shuttle" in Pangyo, and "Majung" in Siheung in Gyeonggi Province have been trialed, though these were more akin to pilot operations. It seems that the autonomous driving technology we are approaching may first be experienced by most of us through public transportation. Public transportation, a service relied on by many for mobility within a city, provides greater convenience to the public as its service area expands. However, issues such as manpower and budget constraints impose limits on expanding the service area beyond a certain level. As one alternative in the public transportation sector, Demand Responsive Transit (DRT) services have been expanded to improve the quality and utility of public transportation services (Korea Research Institute of Transportation Industries, 2024). However, even DRT-based services cannot be completely free from operational manpower and financial constraints. For this reason, there has been active research into combining autonomous driving technology with the demand-responsive public transportation services attempted by Seoul and other local governments as an alternative that can overcome the inherent limitations of conventional public transportation. Advanced autonomous driving technology does not require drivers, which means that it can potentially be used to overcome some of the current limitations of public transportation, at least in terms of operational manpower and related financial constraints. Since April 2021, the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) has been conducting a national research and development project called “Development of Real-Time Demand-Responsive Autonomous Public Transportation Mobility Service Technology” (Principal Researcher: Moon Byung-sup, Senior Research Fellow) to develop a public transportation mobility service utilizing autonomous driving technology. The goal is to develop a demand-responsive autonomous public transportation service that expands the service concept of existing public transportation, including DRT. This paper introduces what differentiates this service from existing ones and why it is called a "Vision for the Future of Public Transportation.” Definition of Demand-Responsive Autonomous Mobility Services This service is a demand-responsive public transportation mobility service based on autonomous driving technology. It aims to provide a first-and-last-mile service using Level 4 autonomous vehicles as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), transporting passengers to their desired destinations without fixed routes (Figure 1). To enable a safe public transportation service, a small vehicle equipped with a Level 4 autonomous driving system is being developed for demand-responsive service. What distinguishes this system from previous similar demand-responsive services is its ability to learn and remember individual users' travel patterns. Using this learned information, it generates optimal dynamic routes considering real-time changes in road and traffic conditions, and transports passengers accordingly. To provide this service, a 9-seater small vehicle is being made, allowing ride-sharing within pre-allocated routes and travel time allowances. The features of learning individual travel patterns to predict usage demand and preferred routes and proposing these to users, along with the capability for ride-sharing in an autonomous bus, clearly differentiate this service from previous offerings, making it a new vision for the future of public transportation. Configuration and Functions of Demand-Responsive Autonomous Mobility Services To provide a safe and comfortable demand-responsive public transportation service using small buses equipped with Level 4 autonomous driving systems, a central system responsible for service operation and control is required. Additionally, as this is a public transportation service based on autonomous driving technology, an evaluation system is required to assess the service’s public availability and operational efficiency. In addition to the autonomous small bus, central system, and evaluation system, facilities for vehicle storage and charging are needed. The system configuration for providing a demand-responsive autonomous public transportation mobility service is shown in Figure 2. The core functions for providing demand-responsive autonomous mobility services are included in the central system, vehicles, and user mobile app (Figure 3). First, a user mobile app is required to provide a public transportation service based on a driveress Level 4 autonomous system. The mobile app has functions for service requests, user authentication, billing, and checking reservation and operation information. The central system is responsible for the core functions that enable demand-responsive services. This involves algorithms that analyze passengers' travel history to predict call demand and pre-allocate the required number of vehicles to service areas. It also includes algorithms for selecting the nearest virtual stop to the user's call point. Additionally, the system generates optimal dynamic routes from origin to destination, reflecting real-time road and traffic conditions, and updates routes with minimal detour time when ride-sharing requests are made. The vehicle itself is equipped with an autonomous driving system, an in-vehicle terminal for user authentication, and a human-machine interface for interaction between onboard safety personnel and the autonomous driving system. The central system and vehicles exchange Travel Information Messages (TIM), Waypoint messages, and Probe Vehicle Data (PVD) in real time to provide services. Here, PVD is a message that contains the vehicle status information, including the driving trajectory of an autonomous small bus. The Waypoint message is a core message for implementing driverless autonomous public transportation services. It contains global path information representing the vehicle's route of movement and essentially includes the coordinates of nodes the vehicle passes through and the Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) between nodes. Efforts to Develop Future Public Transportation Services Level 4 autonomous driving implies a "Mind-off" state, wherein the human driver is not required to be aware of the surroundings, make driving decisions or control the vehicle. Since public transportation services that apply driverless autonomous driving technology cater to a large number of users, the development of the service itself is important, but it is equally crucial to develop thorough verification technologies. Looking at previous research related to Autonomous Mobility-on-Demand (AMoD) services utilizing autonomous driving technology, most studies have only performed performance checks of the developed systems (Zhang et al., 2016; Barbier et al., 2019). To ensure passenger safety and successful establishment as a public transportation service, I am developing new service verification techniques by incorporating traffic engineering theories into the unavoidable verification technology development (Jang et al., 2023). Despite being public transportation, this world-first service concept learns individual travel patterns to predict usage demand and preferred routes in advance, and proposes them to users. It is an autonomous public transportation service that allows ride-sharing while following dynamic routes without fixed lines. Along with the development of autonomous public transportation service verification technology that considers public safety, these advancements are expected to lead a new future of public transportation that we will soon experience. ――――――――――――――――― References • Korea Research Institute of Transportation Industries (2024) Bus Transportation, Vol. 81, pp. 24-37. • Barbier, M., Renzaglia, A., Quilbeuf, J., Rummelhard, L., Paigwar, A., Laugier, C., Legay, A., Ibanez-Guzman, J., and Simonin, O. (June 2019), Validation of Perception and Decision-Making Systems for Autonomous Driving via Statistical Model Checking. 2019 IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium (IV), Paris, France, pp. 252-259. • Zhang R., Rossi, F., and Pavone, M. (May 2016) Model Predictive Control of Autonomous Mobility on Demand Systems. 2016 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), Stockholm, Sweden, pp.1382-1389. • Jang, J., Moon, B., and Ha, J. (2023) Development of Performance Verification Methodology for Level 4 Autonomous Driving Technology-based Demand-Responsive Mobility System. International Journal of Highway Engineering, 25(6), pp. 357-367. Department of Highway & Transportation Research Date2024-09-26 Hit 763
• No more carbon emissions! The era of Carbon dioxide-eating concrete is here! No more carbon emissions! The era of Carbon dioxide-eating concrete is here! - Evelopment of carbon dioxide-storing concrete technology utilizing CO2 nanobubble mixing water - CO2storage capacity of 1.0ￚ1.8 kg per 1 ㎥ ready-mixed concrete The Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) has become the first Korean organization to develop "Carbon Eating Concrete (CEC) using Nanobubbles," a groundbreaking technology that stores carbon dioxide (CO2)—a major contributor to global warming—within concrete using nano-bubbles. Concrete is the most widely used artificial material worldwide, with an annual production volume of approximately 30 billion tons. As demand for urbanization and infrastructure grows, so does concrete usage. Despite being a single material, the process of concrete production (including cement manufacturing) accounts for about 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions due to the significant CO2 emissions involved. "Carbon Capture Utilization for Concrete (CCU Concrete)" technology is concrete produced by utilizing CO2 in a manner that does not impact climate change. In a paper published in Nature Communications in 2021, it was estimated that CCU concrete could theoretically sequester 0.1ￚ1.4 Gt of CO2 by 2050. CCU concrete is recognized as the only technology capable of mineralizing captured CO2 through reaction with concrete, thereby storing CO2 stably inside the material without re-releasing it into the atmosphere. Typically, concrete undergoes carbonation when exposed to atmospheric CO2 lowering its internal pH and losing alkalinity. While atmospheric CO2 concentration is very low at 400 ppm, causing this carbonation process to proceed extremely slowly, it puts the reinforcing steel surrounded by low-durability concrete at an increased risk of corrosion. However, CCU concrete technology intentionally induces a reaction between high-concentration CO2 and the internal concrete materials. Through this chemical reaction, the CO2 is converted into carbonate minerals that enhance strength, permanently storing it within the concrete. Consequently, these carbonate minerals increase the microstructural density, enabling the production of concrete with improved strength and durability compared to conventional concrete. In other words, CCU concrete is not merely a CO2 storage solution but offers additional benefits like enhanced concrete performance and reduced cement usage, indicating significant market potential. The research team at the Department of Structural Engineering Research of the KICT has thus developed the first "Carbon Eating Concrete (CEC)" in Korea, which can effectively absorb and store carbon dioxide in concrete structures while simultaneously improving concrete's compressive strength and durability using nanobubbles. Concrete is traditionally manufactured by mixing cement powder, water, and aggregate. The research team developed CO2 nanobubble water, which is capable of storing high-concentration CO2 even under standard atmospheric conditions. "CO2 nanobubble water" is water containing numerous nanobubbles with high CO2 dissolution. The developed technology utilizes CO2 nanobubble water and industrial by-products in concrete production instead of regular mixing water. Advanced analytical techniques (Raman spectroscopy) verified the chemical interaction between CO2 in nanobubble water and concrete. The developed technology allows the direct storage of 1.0-1.8 kg of CO2 per 1 m³ of concrete production, comparable to the CO2 storage volume achieved by "Carbon Cure," a world-leading direct injection technology company from Canada. In addition, the research team developed "CEC" by applying optimal temperature and humidity conditions and mixing techniques using high CO2-reactivity industrial by-products to reduce cement usage. The developed CO2curing technology can maximize concrete's physical performance while minimizing the amount of cement required. Compared to traditional steam curing, it consumes less energy during production and achieves equivalent or superior compressive strength through CO2 curing techniques. A significant advantage is its high CO2 storage efficiency. To simulate CO2 curing environments under various temperature and pressure conditions, the team established Korea's largest high-temperature, high-pressure CO2 curing system for concrete. This achievement was developed through the major KICT project "Development of Eco-Friendly Carbon Eating Concrete (CEC) Manufacturing and Utilization Technology (2022ￚ2024)," supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT. Department of Structural Engineering Research Date2024-12-27 Hit 720

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