Call for papers/Topics

Topics of interest for submission include any topics related to:

Theme 1: Smart Infrastructure and Digital Twins (Civil Engineering & Automation)

This theme focuses on embedding digital and automated technologies into the physical built environment.

1. Advanced Infrastructure Monitoring and Maintenance

• Structural Health Monitoring (SHM): Real-time sensing, data analytics, and predictive maintenance for bridges, tunnels, and buildings.

• Intelligent Infrastructure: Self-diagnosing and self-healing materials (e.g., smart concrete), and autonomous inspection systems (using drones/robotics).

• Utility Automation: Smart energy grids, automated power quality control, and intelligent monitoring systems for gas and water pipelines.

2. Digital Construction and Modeling

• Building Information Modeling (BIM) 2.0: Integration of BIM with IoT and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for lifecycle management.

• Digital Twins: Creation and use of real-time virtual models of cities, buildings, or infrastructure segments for simulation and optimization.

• Automated Construction: Robotics and automation in construction processes, 3D printing of construction materials and structures.

Theme 2: Enabling Technologies (Automation & Smart Cities)

These are the fundamental technological pillars that make smart city concepts possible.

1. Internet of Things (IoT) and Sensing

• Pervasive Urban Sensing: Deploying massive sensor networks (wired and wireless) for environmental and traffic monitoring.

• Edge AI and TinyML: Processing data in real-time on low-power, small-scale devices at the edge of the network.

• Secure IoT Frameworks: Novel communication protocols and frameworks for vulnerability assessment in smart environments.

2. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Analytics

• Urban Data Analytics and Predictive Modeling: Using Big Data and Machine Learning (ML) to anticipate urban dynamics (e.g., traffic flow, resource demand, crime hotspots).

• AI-Driven Decision Support Systems: Tools for city planners and administrators to optimize public services and resource allocation.

• Responsible and Ethical AI: Addressing bias, privacy, and accountability in AI-enabled public systems and citizen tracking.

Theme 3: Sustainable Systems and Urban Services (Smart Cities & Environmental)

This theme addresses how technology is used to manage resources, mobility, and the environment efficiently.

1. Smart Mobility and Transportation

• Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs): Infrastructure requirements and civil engineering challenges for autonomous vehicle integration.

• Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS): Smart system control, traffic flow optimization, and real-time traveler sensing technologies.

• Mobility as a Service (MaaS): Data-driven integration of public transport, ride-sharing, and micro-mobility.

2. Sustainable Resource Management

• Smart Water Management: Automated monitoring and control of urban water and drainage systems (SUDS) to prevent flooding and manage consumption.

• Energy Efficiency: Intelligent control systems for power management, smart grids, and optimizing consumption in smart houses and city-wide utilities.

• Smart Waste Management: Automated sorting, route optimization for collection, and implementation of the Circular Economy in urban systems.

3. Urban Planning and Resilience

• Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Design: Engineering for extreme weather, disaster-resilient structures, and urban heat island mitigation.

• Spatial Information Technology: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing for urban planning and policy.

• Ecological Cities and Green Infrastructure: Integrating digital tools with ecosystem restoration and regenerative urban design principles.