As a part of the CETRA 2026 conference, three interesting topics in dedicated special sessions will be held:
- Special session 1: Advances in noise and vibration-based approaches for rail infrastructure condition monitoring
- Special session 2: Sustainable and Resilient Pavements
- Special session 3: Advanced Assessment and Monitoring of Bridges
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SS1: Advances in noise and vibration-based approaches for rail infrastructure condition monitoring
Noise and vibration analysis have become useful assets in determining the condition and functionality of rail infrastructure.
With the growing demand for safer, more dependable, and sustainable railway transportation systems, advanced sensing and data-driven approaches are being used more frequently to monitor and analyse the dynamic behaviour of vehicle and track interaction, to assess their condition.
Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- Noise and vibration-based infrastructure monitoring
- Acoustic and vibration sensing technologies
- Motion magnification based vibration assessment on railway infrastructure
- Distributed acoustic sensing for track condition monitoring
- Modal analysis, numerical modelling and digital twins
- Detection and classification of track irregularities and defects
- Condition-based and predictive maintenance approaches
- Machine learning and data-driven diagnostic algorithms in rail infrastructure
- Integration of IoT technologies in noise and vibration monitoring systems
- Emerging challenges and prospects, including standardization and data management
This special session will highlight recent advances in noise and vibration-based monitoring approaches, including novel methodologies, sensor technologies, and analytical tools for infrastructure diagnostics, maintenance planning, and long-term asset management.
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SS2: Sustainable and Resilient Pavements
Sustainability and resilience are two concepts frequently combined in modern pavement design, construction, and management. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they are based on distinctly different concepts. In the context of pavements, sustainable practices include the use of recycled materials, environmentally friendly technologies, cleaner energy, and emission reduction, while resilience refers to a pavement's ability to anticipate, prepare for, and adapt to changing conditions.
Topics may include, but are not limited to:
- pavement innovative design
- alternative materials
- new green technologies
- re-use/recycling
- durability and maintenance
- reduction in emission
- cleaner energy and fuel sources
- long-term performance
- resilience to climate changing conditions
- ability to resist hazards or withstand impacts from natural disasters
This special session aims to emphasize the overlap between sustainability and resilience in pavement engineering.
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SS3: Advanced Assessment and Monitoring of Bridges
The safety, reliability, and long-term performance of bridges are increasingly challenged by ageing infrastructure, growing traffic loads, seismic and environmental effects. This special session invites contributions addressing contemporary approaches for the performance, condition, and safety assessment of bridges, with a strong focus on proactive, data-driven, and digital methodologies.
The session aims to highlight the distinction and complementarity between condition assessment and safety assessment, emphasizing both benefits and limitations of visual inspections and the need for advanced monitoring, testing, and analytical tools. Contributions on pro-active bridge assessment, digital techniques, and structural health monitoring are particularly welcome. Both research-oriented papers and practice-driven case studies are encouraged.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Performance and vulnerability assessment of bridges
- Condition assessment versus safety assessment
- Pro-active and digital bridge inspection
- Bridge Weigh-in-Motion (BWIM) systems and applications
- Model updating and digital twins of bridges
- Forensic engineering and structural damage identification
- Experimental testing and in-situ measurements
- Computational methods for bridge design and assessment
- Vibration-based assessment and damage detection
The session seeks to foster dialogue between researchers, practitioners, and infrastructure owners, supporting the development and implementation of reliable, efficient, and sustainable bridge assessment strategies.