The lecture shows how load testing is used in bridge engineering. The objectives of the load tests are introcuded and the different types of bridge load testing (soft, diagnostic and proof) are described and ilustrated with several real examples of load testing in existing bridges. Insight on the loading means as well as the measurement techniques used in the different types of tests are also described. Finally, some thoughts are presented about bridge Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) and the future of bridge load testing

"The Role of Behavior Psychology in Affecting the Perception of Risk in SHM Decision-Making"

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems provide actionable information that stakeholders use to make decisions about operations, maintenance, performance, etc.  However, stakeholders have a risk profile, a perception of how they evaluate the outcome of the decisions they must make. Thus, the consequences of decisions do not just depend on posterior probabilities of information (such as a structural health state), but also on an individual’s (or even an organization’s) perception of decision consequences, and this presentation will consider a way to model this effect in the SHM decision-making process.

By Prof. Michael D. Todd (University of California San Diego)

"Design and assessment criteria for safety and cost efficiency"

A rational basis for the specification of reliability requirements for design and assessment of structures is introduced and discussed in this lecture. It is thereby focused on the challenges related to the practical application of reliability requirements and aspects of standardization.
by Prof. Jochen Köhler from NTNU.

"Nondestructive Testing and Evaluation for the Infrastructure"
by Prof. John Popovics from the University of Illinois (USA)

Parisa SHOKOUHI is a Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics at Penn State, Pennsylvania, USA.

Prior to joining Penn State, she was a research group leader in Nondestructive Testing Department of BAM - Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Berlin, Germany - and a visiting Professor at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL).

Her research interests include: Stress wave propagation in fractured media, Nondestructive evaluation (linear and nonlinear ultrasonic testing), Structural health monitoring (acoustic emission), Machine learning and data analytics, Acoustic/Seismic metamaterials. She has co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications including more than 60 refereed journal papers. Her research has been funded by various programs of Department of Energy (DOE), National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), US Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), among others.

She is a recipient of Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship, 2019 American Society For Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) Fellowship and 2020 ASNT Faculty Awards as well as IMS 2022 Distinguished Faculty Scholarship. When not working, Parisa enjoys traveling to faraway places (when there isn't a pandemic!), reading, road/gravel biking and running.