Zhenkun Li

Postdoctoral Researcher
Department of Civil Engineering
Aalto University, Finland.

Research Interests

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM)

Damage detection, Model updating, modal identification.

Vehicle-bridge Interaction (VBI)

Vehicle scanning method, Weigh-in-motion (WIM), Vehicular parameter identification, Road roughness estimation.

Machine Learning

Bayesian statistics, Gaussian processes, Deep learning, Computer vision, Transfer learning, Physics-informed neural networks (PINNs).

News and updates

• February 29, 2024 My doctoral thesis entitled “Bridge health condition assessment using instrumented moving vehicles” is granted the dean’s doctoral dissertation award at School of Engineering, Aalto University. This award is granted in recognition of an outstanding doctoral dissertation and the research work conducted in its preparation, see the news here.

• January 29, 2024. With Prof. Yunpeng Wu, Prof. Chuang He, and Prof. Li Ai, we are starting a special issue entitled “Advanced Computer Vision Methods and Related Technologies in Structural Health Monitoring” in the journal of Structural Durability & Health Monitoring (EI Indexed). This special issue aims to implement advanced intelligence technologies to monitor the structural health status of various devices and infrastructures in civil engineering, including railroad tracks, catenary, bridges, noise barrier, tunnels, etc. This will involve the utilization of cutting-edge sensors, such as high-definition camera, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), wireless sensor network, or drone sensing system.

• January 17, 2024 My paper “Indirect frequency identification of footbridges with pedestrians using the contact-point response of shared scooters” co-authored with Yifu Lan and Weiwei Lin has been accepted by Journal of Bridge Engineering.

• October 29, 2023. The paper “Physics-Guided Diagnosis Framework for Bridge Health Monitoring using Raw Vehicle Accelerations”authored by Yifu Lan, myself, and Weiwei Lin is accepted by Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing. In this paper, I helped with developing Finite Element Model (FEM) of the vehicle-bridge interaction process using MATLAB. Congrats to Yifu, well deserved!

• October 6, 2023. I am happy to share that I have had my defense at Aalto University with thesis entitled “Bridge health condition assessment using instrumented moving vehicles”. Thank you all for the help in this interesting journey!

• September 18, 2023. The paper “Bridge Frequency Identification in City Bus Monitoring: A Coherence-PPI Algorithm”authored by Yifu Lan, myself, Keijo Koski, Ludovic Fülöp, Timo Tirkkonen and Weiwei Lin is accepted by Engineering Structures. Congrats to Yifu!

• July 21, 2023. Together with Dr. Mario Puppio, Dr. Marco Tanganelli, and Dr. Filippo Landi, we are managing a special issue entitled “Evaluation of Buildings’ and Infrastructures’ Performance and Analysis of Seismic and Naturally Induced Disasters” in the journal of Applied Sciences (IF=2.7). Research on new design strategies, modern architectural and structural concepts for the new structures, machine learning, innovation in material technology or construction chain, or the retrofit of the ancient and traditional structures will be considered for publication.

• July 20, 2023. The paper “High-Fidelity Time-Series Data Synthesis based on Finite Element Simulation and Data Space Mapping” authored by Youqi Zhang, myself, Rui Hao, Weiwei Lin, Lingfang Li and Di Su is accepted by Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing. In this paper, I was responsible for Finite Element Modeling using Abaqus driven by Python. One interested in this paper can find its preprint version in Publications.

• July 2-6, 2023. I am attending IALCCE 2023 in Milano, Italy. More pictures can be found HERE. Thanks, all friends, for the interesting topics and nice dinner.

• June 15, 2023. My paper “Bridge Frequency Scanning Using the Contact-Point Response of an Instrumented 3D Vehicle: Theory and Numerical Simulation” co-authored with Weiwei Lin and Youqi Zhang is accepted by Structural Control and Health Monitoring.

• June 8, 2023. My paper “Indirect damage identification for bridges using passing and temporarily parked vehicles” co-authored with Yifu Lan and Weiwei Lin is accepted by Engineering Structures.

• April 6, 2023. Zhenkun Li was awarded an incentive grant in Fabian and Jaakko Ahvenainen Foundation grants awarded for the year 2022.

Research purposes

Our infrastructures, especially bridges, were built in the last century and are prone to deterioration and exposed to environmental hazards. My research aims to monitor the health conditions of infrastructures via system identification, uncertainty quantification, interaction between bridges and vehicles, and the cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques. If you are interested in my background and intend to cooperate with me, please contact me at zhenkun.li@aalto.fi.