Creating diagnostic tools for roads in the ‘smart city’ of the future

A section of Wellington road under construction in downtown London, Oct. 8, 2024. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)

Infrastructure is the foundation that cities are built on, but making sure that infrastructure doesn’t degrade with time and use can be a complex task.

Technology being developed at Western seeks to aid in that aim - integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning, with the use of state of the art tools like aerial and underwater drones, laser scans, and high-speed cameras to name a few.

On Western’s campus, researchers are working to develop the tools to maintain the cities of the future.

“When you say, ‘smart city,’ there are infinite combinations and possibilities. There are challenges, too, from infrastructure and communications to housing and health care,” said Western engineering professor Ayan Sadhu. “We’re looking at one aspect – and it’s a big one – how can we make city infrastructure better in terms of inspection, construction, traffic, transportation and sustainability.”

The data driven approach keeps close tabs on road conditions and pavement quality using a vehicle outfitted with special sensors and cameras to record conditions. Tests conducted at Western even saw some staff from the City of London take part to help understand how the technology could be a applied by city services for infrastructure planning and economic development.

“When a person is experiencing difficulties with their hip, the decision needs to be made whether to replace it or do physical therapy,” said Sadhu. “That what this project is doing for cities. It’s called structural health, and we use artificial intelligence and big data to strengthen the decisions we make.”

Historically, assessing the condition of infrastructure has required invasive tests - like placing sensors all over a bridge or highway to assess it’s condition in an extreme climate. This usually requires that the roadway be closed for the period of the testing.

This new approach allows for roadways to remain open, while also providing diagnostic feedback, allowing decisionmakers to asses the quality of their infrastructure assets.