GUESTS LECTURES: - Billie F. Spencer Jr. is a leading civil engineer and professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he holds the prestigious Newmark Endowed Chair. He earned all his degrees in engineering from the same university and has built a long academic career, previously teaching at the University of Notre Dame. His research focuses on smart structures, structural health monitoring, and earthquake engineering, with over 340 scientific publications and several patents. He is also active internationally through collaborations, visiting professorships, and leadership roles, including coordinating the Asia-Pacific Summer School on Smart Structures. In addition to his academic work, he co-founded a technology company and contributes to major scientific journals and organizations in the field. - Cristoforo Demartino is an Associate Professor at Roma Tre University specializing in structural engineering, with a strong multidisciplinary focus on the dynamic behavior of structures under loads such as earthquakes and wind. He completed his education in Italy (with a PhD in 2014) and has held academic and research positions internationally, including in China and the United States. He has authored over 200 publications, delivered numerous invited lectures, and is actively involved in international research and teaching initiatives. His work combines numerical and experimental approaches, aiming to advance engineering through cross-disciplinary collaboration. -Giuseppe Quaranta is an Associate Professor of Structural Engineering at Sapienza University of Rome. His research focuses on structural monitoring and control, dynamic identification, infrastructure diagnostics, vibration control, and reinforced concrete and composite structures. He has held research positions at UC Davis and the Technical University of Bari. Author of numerous international publications, he combines research, teaching, and PhD supervision, with particular attention to smart monitoring, structural dynamics, seismic risk, and machine learning applications in civil engineering. - Marco Broccardo is an Associate Professor at the University of Trento, specializing in structural reliability, uncertainty quantification, seismic risk, and stochastic dynamics. He holds a PhD from UC Berkeley and has worked at ETH Zürich, the Swiss Seismological Service, and the University of Liverpool. His research combines probabilistic methods, computational modeling, and risk analysis for civil infrastructure and natural hazards. He is active in international research projects, teaching, doctoral supervision, and scientific publishing, with a strong focus on resilient infrastructure, induced seismicity, and data-driven approaches in structural engineering. -Christos Thomas Georgakis is Professor of Structural Dynamics and Monitoring at Aarhus University, where he leads the Section for Structural Dynamics and Geotechnical Engineering. His expertise covers bridge engineering, wind engineering, structural dynamics, vibration control, structural health monitoring, and cable-supported structures.He has worked on major international bridge and infrastructure projects, including the London Millennium Bridge, Stonecutters Bridge, Queensferry Crossing, Port Mann Bridge, Gordie Howe International Bridge, and the investigation of the Chirajara Bridge collapse. His career combines academic research, consultancy, teaching, PhD supervision, patents, and major funded projects, with a strong focus on the dynamics, monitoring, safety, and lifetime extension of large civil structures. The 15th APESS 2026 Asia-Pacific-Euro Summer School on Smart Structures Technology is an intensive three-week, hands-on program hosted at Politecnico di Torino, Italy. Established in 2008 and rotating annually across Asia, the Pacific, and Europe, APESS combines advanced lectures, laboratory activities, and a final prototype project focused on the theme Sense–Forecast–Adapt: Adaptive and Proactive Resilience. Participants will collaborate in interdisciplinary teams to design and control a reconfigurable building system using real-time sensing, forecasting, and adaptive strategies. The program addresses the limitations of traditional civil engineering education by integrating multiple disciplines into a cohesive learning experience. It brings together PhD students and young researchers from across the world for an immersive training that blends theory with practical application, enabling participants to develop skills directly applicable to research and innovation in smart, resilient built environments. Target audience & language: International PhD candidates, postdocs, researchers, and practitioners. The course is held in English. Materials: Lecture slides and notes. Goals: Provide both knowledge and hands-on experience to apply smart structures technologies in research and professional contexts. The course offers a valuable opportunity to explore emerging trends in structural design, urban planning, construction, and sustainability, highlighting how data-driven methods and smart sensing can transform the future of the built environment.

Applicants should possess a basic knowledge and background in Structural Engineering, and during the APESS course will learn a fundamental understanding of structural dynamics and structural health monitoring. Finite element modeling knowledge is recommended. Familiarity with mathematical optimization and stochastic processes is recommended to effectively engage with advanced design and reliability modules. Basic proficiency in programming (e.g., MATLAB or Python) and statistics is beneficial for sessions involving machine learning and active control systems with Arduino technologies. Since this course is taught in English, students are expected to possess a professional English proficiency.

The APESS program is an intensive 30-hour curriculum during the last 3 weeks of July 2026 designed to bridge the gap between traditional structural engineering and cutting-edge digital technologies. The course is structured into thematic blocks that guide students from conceptual design to the implementation of intelligent, resilient systems. • Phase 1: Conceptual Design and Structural Optimization (9 hours) The opening of the program is dedicated to the evolution of structural design (3 hours). The first module establishes the foundations of conceptual design, focusing on the principles of reliability and robustness (3 hours). Specific sessions delve into modern computational methods, such as topology optimization and its synergy with 3D printing technologies, allowing for the creation of high-performance, resourceefficient structures (3 hours). • Phase 2: Monitoring, Digital Twins, and Dynamic Identification (3 hours) The second part of the course shifts focus toward the "health" and digital representation of structures. A dedicated block introduces the concept of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) and the development of Digital Twins, providing students with the tools to mirror physical assets in a virtual environment for real-time analysis (1.5 hours). Further lessons explore the experimental side, focusing on the dynamic identification of structures to understand their behavior under various stress conditions (1.5 hours). • Phase 3: Proactive Resilience and Adaptive Control Systems (9 hours) In this central phase, the program addresses how structures can actively respond to external environment stimuli (3 hours). One module is entirely focused on proactive resilience and the principles of active control (3 hours). Practical units analyze the implementation of adaptive control systems, teaching students how to design structures that "react" to dynamic inputs to enhance safety and performance (3 hours). • Phase 4: AI, Drones, and Future Technologies (9 hours) The final segment explores the technological frontier of the industry. A specialized section covers the application of advanced computer vision and the use of UAV (drones) for automated structural inspections (3 hours). Additional sessions focus on the integration of Machine Learning (ML) algorithms for forecasting and predictive control (3 hours), followed by the exploration of smart technologies in conceptual design (3 hours).

In presenza

Presentazione orale - Sviluppo di project work in team

P.D.2-2 - Luglio

The course concludes with a practical application phase with a group work oral presentation. Along the 3 weeks APESS course, students engage in collaborative group projects, proposing innovative solutions that integrate the diverse topicscovered throughout the APESS program. The 15th APESS 2026 - Asia-Pacific-Euro Summer School on Smart Structures Technology will be held in classroom R1b. The APESS 2026 Italy edition official website is the following https://apess-ancrisst-2026.polito.it/