What if you could click into a bridge’s past, present, and future, all at
once? For three Drexel engineering students, that question is the foundation
of their senior design project. By building a living replica, the group is
blending traditional structural design with emerging technology to transform
how engineers understand and maintain infrastructure.
Emily Ellis (BS Civil/MS Structural), Edgar Sanchez-Tavarez (BS Civil), and
Malgorzata Dobrenko (BS Civil/MS Structural) are developing an online
replica of the Commodore Barry Bridge called a digital twin. With assistance
from the Delaware River Port Authority, this group of engineers is creating
solutions to the well-known bridge connecting South Philly and the ‘burbs to
New Jersey.
This digital twin will include the full structural history of the bridge
along with any issues with the structure, like fatigue cracking and material
degradation. Then, engineers can go in and ‘experiment’ with rehabilitation
designs. By combining traditional structural engineering practices with
modern digital technologies, engineers will be able to use the digital twin
to improve how bridge infrastructure is monitored and maintained.
“In addition to the new deck design, the digital twin will also house
historical information about the structure, past, and current condition,”
Sanchez-Tavarez said. “With just one click, any engineer will be able to
learn about the details of the rehabilitation and access the full structural
history of the bridge at any point.”
In the classroom, students are given a problem as well as limits and
parameters, and are told to find an existing solution. “Senior design is the
opposite,” Sanchez-Tavarez said. “You simply start with an idea and figure
out how to make it happen.”
The project began by developing a model in structural analysis program
SAP2000, then began to develop solutions to the bridge’s aging. After a few
designs, the group determined that either an exodermic bridge deck or a
lightweight concrete deck would work best. The group tested each and were
able to apply a finalized redesign to the digital twin.
As a senior design group of only three engineers, the team had their work
cut out for them. Thankfully, they’re a close group both in and out of the
classroom. “It’s almost unspoken what we have to do and how we are going to
do it,” Ellis said. “The key aspect of our work is that we support each
other with everything we do.
The project represents a culmination of all the work that the team has done
so far. All members are interested in pursuing a career in bridge
engineering after graduation, either in rehabilitation or new designs. The
project is forward-facing, allowing the group to collaborate with local
agencies and be a part of an industry-wide initiative to create digital 3D
models.
"This project, and the concept of senior design in general, brings to light
that every class that we have taken at Drexel has played a part in what we
bring to the table as soon-to-be engineers. In terms of co-op experiences,
we have all had two to three structural engineering co-ops,” Ellis said.
“This in-depth and hands-on knowledge has also played a role in the work
that has been done.”
After senior design is over, the team says they’re looking forward to
graduation.
“When we walk across that stage, we’ll receive a degree in engineering but
most importantly, we leave as engineers,” Sanchez-Tavarez said. “Not because
of the diploma, but because, over the course these 8-9 months that we’ve
worked on this project, we’ve embodied the mindsets of engineers. And that's
something to be proud of.”