Title: SPP 100+: Extending Structure Life via Intelligent Digitization

Organisers: Steffen Marx (Technische Universität Dresden), Chongjie Kang (Technische Universität Dresden)

SPP 100+ is the acronym for a German DFG-funded (German Research Foundation) priority program. The program's overarching objective is the conceptual and fundamental realignment of the current maintenance strategy for infrastructure structures. To achieve this, structural health monitoring plays an essential role. Similar to people, the condition of a structure is characterized by increasingly rapid degradation as it ages. Preventive measures against aging are particularly successful when implemented early. To extend the usability of complex structures, significantly more information is needed at an earlier stage than is customary today. To address this gap and move towards predictive maintenance, fundamental research is required related to methods for collecting, linking, and evaluating all data related to geometry, material, stress, and aging. Digitization, especially the concept of the digital twin, assumes an entirely new significance in this context, enabling the combination and real-time evaluation of all data required for operation and maintenance. However, the construction industry faces unique challenges in terms of content and methodology. Buildings, especially in transport infrastructure, are always distinct. They are characterized by enormous dimensions and possess a considerably longer service life than other technical facilities. Their rate of change due to deterioration is very low and thus challenging to measure. The SPP "Hundred plus" (SPP 100+) addresses these challenges through three interdisciplinary research areas: digital models, digital linkage, and condition indicators, which will be included within this Special Session. Different members of the program will present activities performed within the SPP 100+ program, allowing an overview of the program to be provided.