Porto, Oct. 6, 2026 (Lusa) - The Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP) is leading a project that uses artificial intelligence and drones to detect anomalies in railway bridges, protecting them from extreme weather events – a «low-cost solution» currently being trialled on the Lisbon-Porto North Line.
In a statement released on Tuesday, ISEP explained that the Digi4RailBridges project, which involves the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP), «enables the creation of a digital platform capable of monitoring railway bridges in real time, detecting anomalies at an early stage and anticipating the need for intervention».
The technology aims to «strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure in the face of extreme weather events and the effects of climate change».
«More than just a maintenance tool, it aims to establish itself as a technology for preventing and anticipating risks, contributing to railway infrastructure that is safer, more resilient and sustainable, and better prepared for the impacts of climate change,» ISEP explained.
The new approach utilises a combination of drones equipped with cameras and LIDAR sensors, structural monitoring systems, artificial intelligence and computer vision.
The aim is «to identify changes or anomalies that may pose risks to the integrity of structures at an early stage", enabling infrastructure managers «to have access to information that facilitates decision-making before a situation reaches critical levels».
The project «will create a digital platform capable of automatically gathering, integrating and analysing different sources of information on the behaviour of bridges».
«Using artificial intelligence and computer vision techniques, it will be possible to identify changes in the structures and monitor their development,» ISEP said.
The team will integrate the collected data «into a digital twin of the bridge, creating a virtual representation of the structure that will enable its condition to be monitored over time and support decisions regarding inspection, maintenance and intervention».
«The aim is to contribute to a paradigm shift: moving from a predominantly reactive approach, where action is taken only after identifying a problem, to a predictive and preventative approach capable of anticipating signs of deterioration and supporting risk mitigation measures,» explains Diogo Ribeiro, a researcher at ISEP and head of iBuilt – Centre for Innovation in Digital Construction.
In the context of climate change, «this ability to anticipate is particularly important», ISEP noted.
«Preserving a bridge's condition before it compromises safety or operational capability also means maintaining smooth rail traffic and protecting infrastructure that is essential for the mobility of people and goods», he explained.
This contributes «to a more resilient rail network, better able to withstand the impacts of extreme events and recover more quickly from adverse situations».
ISEP maintains that «technologies enabling continuous monitoring, early detection and prediction of the progression of anomalies could play a decisive role in the management of future railway infrastructure», particularly on high-speed lines.
The project «also aims to contribute to estimating the remaining service life of structures, providing information that will improve the planning of inspection and maintenance operations».
«By anticipating the need for intervention, it will be possible to optimise resources, reduce maintenance costs and minimise the impact of operations on rail traffic. The approach will also support a more efficient use of resources throughout the entire life cycle of the bridges,» it explained.
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