A capstone project that uses artificial intelligence to maintain ageing port infrastructure is one of many dynamic ideas featured at EnGenius 2020, RMIT’s annual event showcasing final year engineering students’ projects and products.
“Digital twin technology can serve as an intelligent maintenance system for port infrastructure and save millions of dollars," said Dr Mojtaba Mahmoodian, project supervisor.
A digital twin is a detailed virtual model of an asset and provides accurate and real-time information of structural elements, eliminating the need for daily inspections, reducing job site risks, and reducing costs and time.
Civil engineering student Elisha Tilan said the project investigated developing an intelligent system to transform and optimise how the Dalrymple Bay Coal terminal was maintained to reduce the risk of it failing.
“In our project, we have incorporated three different types of wireless sensors to detect potential deteriorative hazards for the asset,” she said. “Our project aims to encourage the shift towards digital-driven asset management.”
Civil engineering student Elisha Tilan
Tilan said that completing the capstone project remotely because of COVID restrictions in 2020 posed challenges along the way.
“However, we’ve been lucky and found ways of collaborating without all getting together,” she said.
Tilan has high hopes once she graduates at the end of this year.
“After graduating, I will be taking up a role as a Rail Systems Engineer at Aurecon,” she said. “My ultimate career goal is to become a leader in this field and work on high-profile projects that connect and improve people’s lives all around the world.
“I also want to be involved in empowering our next generation, particularly young women, to pursue an exciting career in engineering.”
