Lab News

[11/15/2025] On November 15, the department hosted its Open House event, which successfully introduced high school students to the digital transformation underway in civil engineering. The demonstrations highlighted the growing importance of computing and data-driven methods in modern STEM education. The event helped inspire students and provided a clear look into the future of technology-driven engineering practice. 

[10/15/2025] Qingyu Ren delivered an insightful technical presentation at the Ohio Transportation Engineering Conference (OTEC) on October 15, showcasing innovative advancements in geotechnical monitoring using computer vision. Him talk, titled “High-Precision 3D Monitoring of Slope Stability Using Camera Array-Based Time-Series Reconstruction,” introduced a novel approach that leverages synchronized multi-camera systems to generate dynamic 3D point clouds for real-time slope deformation analysis. 

[09/30/2025] The AIS lab officially launched the Risk-informed and uncertainty-aware strain capacity prediction model development and verification for vintage pipelines project, supported by $1 million in funding from the USDOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). Led by Principal Investigator Dr. Hui Wang, the multidisciplinary team includes Co-Principal Investigator Dr. Yusheng (Bear) Jiang, Co-PIs Dr. Homero Castaneda from Texas A&M University, Dr. Hao Wang from Rutgers University, and Dr. Lei Wang from the University of Cincinnati, along with Dr. Yongyi Wang at the Center for Reliable Energy Systems (CRES). The project will also engage two postdoctoral researchers and two Ph.D. students. This project aims at developing a validated, risk-informed, and uncertainty-aware framework for quantifying strain capacity and associated uncertainty in vintage pipeline systems under displacement controlled loading.

[09/17/2025] WYSO featured the AIS Lab’s research on the Integrated Acoustic and Vision Sensing System for Worker Safety Early Warning, led by Principal Investigator Dr. Hui “Jack” Wang. The project focuses on improving safety inside roadway work zones by combining thermal and visible-light cameras with microphone arrays to detect equipment and hazards in real time. Using Bluetooth devices and GPS-referenced beacons, the system maps worker and hazard locations and provides immediate alerts through haptic or audio signals. The team is also developing smart traffic cones equipped with calibrated cameras to identify speeding or misdirected vehicles approaching the work zone. This research advances UD’s mission of promoting safety and supporting the common good. 

[09/11/2025] Dayton Daily News highlighted a new AIS Lab project led by Dr. Hui “Jack” Wang, in collaboration with Case Western Reserve University, the University of Cincinnati, and industry partners VigiLife and Ulliman Schutte Construction. Supported by $1.41 million from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, the team is developing an integrated network of cameras and acoustic sensors to warn roadway construction workers of nearby equipment and hazards. The system leverages earbuds and real-time audio-visual detection to enhance situational awareness when visibility is limited, and will be tested first in UD’s Stevens Intelligent Infrastructure Engineering Lab followed by monitored field environments. The project advances work zone safety through university–industry collaboration and supports UD’s mission of research for the common good. 

[09/08/2025]  Spectrum News highlighted a new University of Dayton research initiative led by Hui “Jack” Wang, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering and engineering mechanics, who received a $1.41 million grant from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation to develop an early-warning system aimed at improving safety in dynamic and hazardous work zones. In collaboration with Case Western Reserve University, the University of Cincinnati, and industry partners VigiLife and Ulliman Schutte Construction, the project will integrate on-site cameras and sound sensors to enhance situational awareness by identifying the proximity of workers, equipment, and potential hazards. 

[09/05/2025] Dayton 24/7 Now (WKEF) highlighted a new AIS Lab project led by Dr. Hui “Jack” Wang, supported by $1.41 million from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, to develop an audio-visual sensing system that enhances situational awareness in roadway work zones. In collaboration with Case Western Reserve University, the University of Cincinnati, and industry partners VigiLife and Ulliman Schutte Construction, the team is creating an on-site network of cameras and acoustic sensors that can locate workers, equipment, and hazards and alert workers through earbuds before they enter dangerous proximity zones. The project will also generate real-time hazard maps for site managers and will be modeled and evaluated in UD’s Stevens Intelligent Infrastructure Engineering Lab before advancing to monitored environments and live construction sites. 

[09/04/2025] The Dayton Business Journal featured AIS Lab research led by Dr. Hui “Jack” Wang, who received a $1.41 million award from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation to develop an audio-visual early-warning system that improves situational awareness in roadway work zones. Working with Case Western Reserve University, the University of Cincinnati, and industry partners VigiLife and Ulliman Schutte Construction, the team is designing a network of cameras and acoustic sensors that identifies how close workers, equipment, and hazards are to one another and alerts workers through earbuds while generating live hazard maps for site managers. UD’s Stevens Intelligent Infrastructure Engineering Lab will support virtual modeling and testing before the system advances to monitored environments and live job sites, strengthening university–industry collaboration to enhance work zone safety. 

[09/04/2025] WDTN reported that Dr. Hui “Jack” Wang, associate professor at the University of Dayton, has received funding from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation to develop an audio-visual sensing system that enhances safety in roadway work zones. The project aims to establish a network of cameras and acoustic sensors on equipment and workers, enabling real-time detection of hazards and providing site managers with a live map of risk areas. Citing 106 traffic fatalities in Ohio highway work zones between 2018 and 2022, Dr. Wang emphasized the importance of combining audio and visual inputs to improve situational awareness when visibility is limited. The system will be developed in collaboration with faculty across Ohio and industry partners.

[09/04/2025] Spectrum News reported that Dr. Hui “Jack” Wang has received a $1.41 million grant from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation to improve roadway work zone safety by creating an audio-visual sensing system that enhances early hazard detection and situational awareness. In collaboration with Case Western Reserve University, the University of Cincinnati, and industry partners VigiLife and Ulliman Schutte Construction, the project will develop a network of cameras and sound sensors that identify the proximity of workers, equipment, and hazards, alerting workers through earbuds and generating live hazard maps for site managers. With support from doctoral and post-doctoral researchers, the system will be modeled and tested at UD before transitioning to monitored environments and live job sites, advancing university–industry collaboration to reduce work zone crashes and improve worker safety. 

[08/26/2025] Dr. Wang presented the paper "A novel approach for slope reliability analysis considering the stratigraphic uncertainty and property uncertainty" at the 9th International Symposium for Geotechnical Safety and Risk (ISGSR 2025) 

[08/23/2025] Dr. Hui Wang is recognized as one of the Rising Stars in Geotechnical Engineering (2024–2025) by Frontiers in Built Environment. This recognition highlights early-career researchers for notable achievements in geotechnical engineering research. 

[08/13/2025] Dr. Hui Wang and Dr. Sreelakshmi Sreeharan presented the paper "Development of dynamic database for proactive and predictive risk management of underground pipelines: a comprehensive review" at the ASCE Pipelines Conference 2025, Tampa, FL. This work is sponsored by USDOT PHMSA. Link to the paper: https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784486382.022 

[07/25/2025] Nick Wehrman presented a poster for the summer stander symposium, which highlighted work done over the summer on the lab's pavement scanning system.

[07/24/2025]  Dr. Yusheng(Bear) Jiang was interviewed for the University of Dayton’s “7 Questions” series, which was published in the UD Newsletter. Read the full article here: https://udayton.edu/blogs/engineering/2025/25-06-24-questions-jiang.php.  

[07/01/2025] The AIS lab officially launched the Integrating Acoustic and Vision Sensing Systems for Work Zone Safety Early Warning and Situational Awareness project, supported by around $1.4 million in funding from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation’s (BWC) Workforce Safety Innovation Center (WSIC). Led by Principal Investigator Dr. Hui Wang, the multidisciplinary team includes Co-Principal Investigator Dr. Yusheng (Bear) Jiang, Co-PIs Dr. Xiong (Bill) Yu of Case Western Reserve University and Dr. Lei Wang of the University of Cincinnati, along with industry partners VigiLife Inc. and Ulliman Schutte Construction, LLC. The project will also engage two postdoctoral researchers and two Ph.D. students. Together, the team will develop and validate a multimodal sensing system that integrates acoustic, visual (RGB), and thermal sensors with advanced AI algorithms to provide real-time hazard detection, early warning, and enhanced situational awareness in roadway work zones—helping to improve worker safety and reduce on-site incidents across Ohio. 

[06/9/2025] From June 9–13, Dr. Yusheng (Bear) Jiang participated in the Unleashing Academic Change workshop, part of the KEEN Engineering Unleashed Faculty Development series hosted by Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. This virtual workshop focused on helping faculty reflect on their current work environment, identify opportunities for growth, and implement meaningful changes to improve their teaching and research. Learn more about the workshop series at https://engineeringunleashed.com/

[04/25/2025]  Qingyu Ren has been honored with the Outstanding PhD Scholarship, accompanied by recognition for a Standard Presentation & Award. This distinction highlights Ren’s academic excellence and contributions to advancing research in their field.

[04/9/2025]  Qingyu Ren and Dr. Hui Wang presented the paper "Geohazard monitoring using real-time dynamic point clouds" at the AMPP Conference 2025, Nashville, Tennessee. Link to this paper: https://content.ampp.org/ampp/proceedings-abstract/CONF_APR25/2025/1/96958

[04/9/2025] Dr.Sreelakshmi Sreeharan and Dr. Hui Wang presented the paper "Indirect Inspection-based Bayesian Machine Learning Model for Probabilistic Coating Defect Severity Interpretation " at the AMPP Conference 2025, Nashville, Tennessee. Link to this paper:https://content.ampp.org/ampp/proceedings-abstract/CONF_APR25/2025/1/97130. 

[02/10/2025] Dr. Yusheng(Bear) Jiang and Dr. Hui(Jack) Wang presented “InSAR: The Eye in the Sky for Seasonal Ground Deformation Monitoring” at the outreach event organized by the UD Civil Engineering Department. This presentation aimed to introduce the advanced remote sensing technology to industry partners, companies, and government agencies to explore potential collaborations.