Speaker 2020

Keynote Speaker I 

Prof. Thanasis Triantafillou

Department of Civil Engineering, University of Patras, 265 00 Patras, Greece


Talk Title: Smart Seismic andEnergy Retrofitting of Structures using Textile-based Composites 

Abstract: Taking into consideration the seismic vulnerability of older buildings and the increasing need for reducing their carbon footprint and energy consumption, the application of an innovative system is proposed and investigated both experimentally and analytically. This system is based on the use of textile reinforced mortars (TRM) and thermal insulation as a means of multifunctional (seismic and energy) overlays in existing buildings with masonry walls. Medium scale tests were carried out on masonry specimens subjected to out-of-plane and in-plane cyclic loading. The following parameters were investigated experimentally: one-sided versus two-sided insulation and/or TRM jacketing, placement of the TRM outside the insulation or in a sandwich form (over and under the insulation), use of fire-resistant (cement-based) versus polymer-based insulating materials, as well as the displacement amplitude of the loading cycles. Numerical modelling was carried out, to predict the experimental results. From the results obtained in this study it is believed that TRM jacketing may be combined effectively with thermal insulation to yield a multifunctional material system, which increases the overall strength and energy efficiency of buildings with masonry panels.

Bio: Τhanasis Triantafillou was born in Patras (1963). He received the Diploma in Civil Engineering from the University of Patras (1985), and the MSc (1987) and PhD (1989) Degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He is Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and Director of the Structural Materials Laboratory.

He worked as Post-Doctoral Research Associate (1989) and as Assistant Professor (1990-1993) in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, MIT; and as Visiting Professor in the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research – EMPA (summers of 1990-1991). He joined the University of Patras in 1993.

He is the author of 5 books; 39 book chapters; 83 papers in international scientific Journals; 145 papers in conference proceedings (including 19 keynotes); 14 invited papers in workshops; and >100 research reports. He has been scientific coordinator in 41 research projects with funding from private or public organisations and the European Commission. He has received: (a) the International Institute for FRP in Construction Medal (2010); (b) the Golden Mirko Roš Medal from the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research (EMPA) for life’s work in the field of Materials and Engineering Science (2007); (c) the Best Basic Research Paper Award (2003) from the ASCE Journal of Composites for Construction; (d) the Honorable Mention Applied Research Paper Award (2002) from the ASCE Journal of Composites for Construction; (e) the Best Research Paper Award (1997) from the ASCE Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering; and (f) the Fulbright Senior Research Award (1996). He has consulting experience in the field of advanced materials and strengthening/seismic retrofitting of concrete, masonry and timber structures. His publications have received more than 10965 citations (Google Scholar 22/10/2019) and his h-index is 48. Prof. Triantafillou has served in the scientific committee of 133 international and 14 national conferences; he has reviewed 670 papers in 96 international journals; and he has delivered more than 120 invited lectures in Universities and other organizations, mainly abroad. Dr. Triantafillou is a member of several International and National Scientific Committees and Societies, Associate Editor for two International Journals (ASCE J. of Composites for Construction, J. of Composites Science) and member of the International Editorial Board for 7 International Journals.

His main research interests are focused in the application of advanced structural materials in structures, with emphasis in the field of strengthening/retrofitting of concrete, masonry and timber structures. He has limited research activity in steel-concrete composite construction and in the damage detection of materials and structures using smart monitoring systems. His past research interests were focused in the mechanics of cellular materials and in the optimum design of structural sandwich panels.


Keynote Speaker II 

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Professor Spilios D Fassois

Stochastic Mechanical Systems & Automation (SMSA) Laboratory Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering University of Patras, GR-26504 Patras, Greece


Talk Title: Vibration Based Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) Under Varying Environmental and Operating Conditions & Uncertainty- a Machine Learning perspective with application case studies -

Abstract:  Vibration based Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is important in mechanical, aerospace and civil engineering for the continual monitoring and assessment of critical structures based upon naturally available and easily measurable random vibration signals. Its importance is further underlined by its `global’ nature and capability, meaning that damage may be diagnosed even with few, non-local, sensors. The focus is on diagnosing - that is detecting, localizing, and assessing - early damage via subtle changes induced on the structural dynamics, the latter being properly extracted from measured vibration signals. SHM is thus based upon statistical signal modeling, information/feature extraction, statistical decision making for damage detection, as well as statistical estimation for localization and assessment. These actions may be conveniently integrated in a Machine Learning framework, within which various classes of methods for early damage detection, localization, and assessment shall be presented. The methods shall be also classified as unsupervised or supervised, depending upon the type (healthy only or not) signals utilized in the method’s training phase, and, also, as pertaining to structures characterized by time-invariant or time-varying structural dynamics.

Furthermore, as in engineering practice structures typically function under varying Environmental and Operating Conditions (EOCs), and often under other uncertainty sources, that also affect the structural dynamics, additional difficulties are typically encountered. These manifest themselves in terms of significant SHM performance degradation, which has been a serious technology barrier inhibiting applications over the past several years. Recent and novel approaches for overcoming this barrier, including Multiple Model, Principal Component Analysis, Healthy Subspace, Functional Model based and other approaches, shall be also outlined. These shall be classified as measured or non-measured EOCs based, and their respective pros and cons shall be discussed.

A number of application case studies, focused on SHM in wind energy systems, aeronautical structures, railway vehicles, robotic structures, and others, shall be finally presented. Through them, practical considerations shall be discussed, and reliable and comprehensive assessments along with critical comparisons shall be made using hundreds of test cases. The focus will be on issues such as practicality, cost, and achievable performance; the latter being expressed in terms of correct damage detection probability (Probability of Detection, POD) versus false alarm probability, correct/false classification probability, as well as localization accuracy. 

Bio: Professor S.D. Fassois (Diploma 1982 National Technical University of Athens, Greece; M.Sc. 1984 & Ph.D. 1986 University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA) is the Director of the Stochastic Mechanical Systems & Automation Laboratory at the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics of the University of Patras, Greece. He has also served on the faculty of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, USA (1986-1992). His research interests are on stochastic mechanical and aero systems, system identification-diagnosis-prediction-control, random vibration analysis and vibration-based Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), Statistical Time Series Analysis, Machine Learning (ML), with applications on structures, vehicles, aircraft and industrial systems. He has been honored by international awards and distinctions, has authored chapters in international technical encyclopedias, and organized/taught Short Courses in Europe and North America. He has authored over 270 articles (several invited) in international technical journals, books, and Conference Proceedings, and has presented a number of keynote presentations. His research has been supported by national and international bodies, including the European Commission and the private sector. He has been Associate Editor for Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing (MSSP), as well as Associate Editor and/or Editorial Board member for a number of additional prestigious technical journals. He has also organized 4 Special Thematic Issues of highly ranked technical journals and participates in the Scientific Committee of numerous international technical conferences.

 

Keynote Speaker III

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Professor Emmanuel Paspalakis

Department of Materials Science, University of Patras, Greece


Talk Title: Exploring two-dimensional semiconductors and their nanostructures for strong light-matter coupling at the nanoscale

Abstract: Strong coupling between quantum emitters and their photonic environment is a distinct regime of light-matter interaction, which manifests itself in coherent oscillations of energy between matter and the photonic subsystem. This leads to phenomena such as reversible spontaneous emission dynamics and splitting in the emission spectrum (Rabi splitting). It is particularly important for various applications in nanotechnologies, quantum technologies, all-optical logic, and control of chemical reactions to achieve strong coupling at the single photon level, at the nanoscale, at room temperatures and at optical frequencies. Typical nanosystems that are currently explored for achieving this are by putting the quantum emitters near plasmonic (e.g. metallic) nanostructures, which may act as open nanocavities. However, there are inherent limitations to plasmonic nanostructures, due to their high losses, and the search for alternatives is intense. Here, we show that alternative structures may be created by putting quantum emitters, like quantum dots and J-aggregates, next to two-dimensional materials and their nanostructures. In particular, we show that the exciton-polaritons that exist in transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers, which are atomically thin two-dimensional semiconductors, may lead to strong Purcell enhancement with narrow frequency distribution in nearby quantum emitters at particular energies in the optical regime, leading to strong coupling even at room temperatures. We particularly show that a monolayer of tungsten disulfide (WS2) or a nanodisk of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) have this potential. We also present various effects that may occur in the emission and absorption properties of the quantum emitters near these nanostructures, like strong Rabi splitting, reversible spontaneous emission dynamics, non-Markovian quantum interference and modified-vacuum induced transparency. 

Acknowledgements: Co-financed by Greece and the European Union - European Regional Development Fund via the General Secretariat for Research and Technology bilateral Greek-Russian Science and Technology collaboration project on Quantum Technologies (project code name POLISIMULATOR).

Bio: Emmanuel Paspalakis is Professor and vice-chair of the Department of Materials Science of the University of Patras. He received his PhD in Physics in 1999 from Imperial College London. He has 20+ years’ work experience in R&D, both in Greece and abroad with numerous collaborations in UK, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Lithuania, Russia, Japan and USA. His research interests cover Nanophotonics, Nanoscale Quantum Optics, Quantum Control, Light-Matter Interactions, and Quantum Technologies. He has published over 155 papers in high-level international refereed journals that have obtained over 5850 citations and his h-index is 40. He has also participated in over 110 international conferences with various invited and plenary talks. He has been principal investigator and member in over 20 research grants. He has edited four special issues in topics related to his research in high-level international journals and one book. He is also member of the editorial board of several international journals, member of several scientific conference committees, and reviewer for several international scientific journals and research projects. 

Home pagehttp://www.matersci.upatras.gr/en/people/faculty/paspalakis

Google scholar: http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=PtoIBy4AAAAJ&hl=en



















Speakers in previous conferences
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 Prof. Satoru Kaneko

 Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology (KISTEC), Japan

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Prof. Hamidreza Arandiyan

University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia

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Prof. Juntao Fei

Hohai University, China

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Prof. Hee-Je Kim

Pusan national University, Busan, South Korea

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Prof. Nao-Aki Noda

Kyushu Institute of Technology,Japan

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Prof. Dr. Jesús Toribi

University of Salamanca, Spain

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Professor Ir. Dr. Ab. Halim Bin Abu Bakar

University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia