Smart Infrastructure and Asset Management

Infrastructure systems are complex systems of links and nodes designed to facilitate human activity such as the movements of people and goods, and water and waste water. Asset management is used to ensure the condition and performance of the infrastructure throughout its lifecycle to ensure the system's efficiency, resilience and sustainability. Technology and smart infrastructure are increasingly utilized within asset management for condition monitoring, performance prediction, and selection of treatment alternatives related to operations, maintenance, and replacement. This course allows students to integrate and apply engineering skills to consider the use of smart infrastructure within infrastructure asset management in a problem-based learning context.

Language of instruction: English

Knowledge

The candidate should have knowledge of:

• asset management and how it is currently applied within infrastructure systems
• impacts of digitization on operations and maintenance of infrastructure systems, including the use of Big Data
• smart infrastructure system components

Skills

The candidate is able to:

• understand a simplified asset management plan, including risk assessment
• describe technological solutions for smart operations/management and maintenance of road and rail infrastructure, and how they can be applied to improve the sustainability and resiliency of infrastructure
• use and manage simple datasets within infrastructure operations/management and maintenance

Competencies

The candidate can:

• consider a holistic view of the life-cycle of infrastructure and the role of asset management within it
• understand the potential and challenges when transitioning to smart operations of management systems
• work within a team to develop and define a project objective and scope, apply critical thinking skills within an open-ended task, manage workload over the course of the project, and present results in a professional environment.

Lectures, readings, discussions, project-based learning

The following coursework requirements must have been approved in order for the student to take the exam:

• The project title
• A group (of up to 3 students) or individual presentation (20 min/group) to discuss the project ideas to be implemented as part of the final project.

The project title and presentation should be submitted and presented by the given deadlines, shared on canvas, and approved by the course responsible in order for the student to take the exam. If one or more coursework requirements have not been approved, the student will be given the opportunity to submit an improved version once by the given deadline.

The assessment consists of three parts:

1. Written report, approx. 9000 words excluding appendix; weighted 40%.
2. Oral presentation of the report, approx. 15 minutes; weighted 20%.
3. Individual oral exam, approx. 15 minutes; weighted 40%.

Project work in parts 1 and 2 is done in groups with a maximum of 3 students. Students may also choose to work individually.

All assessment parts must be awarded a pass grade (E or better) in order for the student to pass the course.

Assessment parts 1) can be appealed, parts 2) and 3) cannot be appealed.

In the event of a resit or rescheduled exam, oral examination may be used instead. If oral exams are used for resit and rescheduled exams, the result cannot be appealed.

Part 1. All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are followed.

Part 2 and 3. All documents and devices must be approved by the teacher.

Graded scale A-F

1) One internal examiner

2) and 3) Two internal examiners

External examiners are used regularly.

Piotr Koziol