All about Lab
KAIST Smart Structures & Systems Laboratory (SSSLAB)

SSSLAB

• • SSSLAB lab is directed by Professor Hoon Sohn, and around twenty members are studying together. Our mission focuses on (1) making smarter structures, (2) making safer structures, (3) making smarter technologies, (4) making faster systems, and (5) making easier systems.

Research Themes

• • KAIST SSSLAB focuses on developing and researching different classes of semiconductor, civil and mechanical systems, new science and engineering of smart materials, sensing, data interpretation and fusion, and intelligent decision support that would allow the discovery and prevention of abnormal behavior in these critical systems that might lead to catastrophic failure.
    
    The current research topics include:

• 1.

  Non-Destructive Testing and Evaluation (NDT&E)

• 2.

  Structural Health Monitoring (SHM)

• 3.

  Online monitoring and process control of 3D printing

• 4.

  Data Analytics

• 5.

  Sensor & Sensing

Current Research Topics

• 1) Non-Destructive Testing and Evaluation (NDT&E)
• • Non-destructive testing and evaluation is a procedure to non-destructively evaluate material properties and detect defects of a target system using sensing techniques such as ultrasonic, thermography, eddy-current, and X-ray. For example, an ultrasonic NDT technique can be used to detect tiny defects on a silicon wafer during its fabrication without causing damage to the wafer. In addition, various NDT&E techniques are used for periodic inspection of infrastructure like bridges, pipelines, nuclear power plants, wind turbines, etc.

• 2) Structural Health Monitoring (SHM)
• • Structural health monitoring is a procedure to continuously or periodically assess the safety and integrity of a structural system based on sensing data. For example, after extreme events like earthquakes, the SHM system can provide a rapid condition assessment of a structure. The SHM system can also detect gradual time-dependent degradation and aging of the system. It has immediate life-saving benefits and market potential.

• 3) Online monitoring and process control of 3D printing
• • The goal of the proposed research is to develop key enabling technologies for developing an online, real-time, and noncontact NDE system specifically tailored for metal-based 3D printing (AM: additive manufacturing) processes, so that the productivity and reliability of the 3D printing process and the quality of 3D printed parts can be improved and faulty components and defects can be reduced.

• 4) Data Analytics.
• • Data analytics is a process of collecting, modeling, and analyzing data to extract insights that support decision-making. In structural health monitoring, data analytics is used for diagnostics and prediction based on regression analysis, neural networks, and big data. For example, using the acquired data from different conditions of the structure, the data analytics process can classify and quantify the abnormal condition. Also, data analytics can provide visualization results to the structure manager.

• 5) Sensor & Sensing
• • Smart sensors are increasingly involved in every aspect of human life. They are employed to monitor the health of structures, control processes in manufacturing plants, and traffic control, and provide information that can be used for improving the operational efficiency of structures. We develop state-of-the-art smart sensors and sensing technology to apply these techniques to a wide range of real-world applications.

SSSLAB Introduction Video

Recent News

• • Jun 2022: (1) Professor Hoon Sohn was appointed as an advisory committee member of Seoul Metro and (2) Professor Hoon Sohn gave a Keynote presentation at the 8th World Conference on Structural Control and Monitoring (8WCSCM).

• • April 2022: “Thermal imaging and vision convergence measurement system based on artificial intelligence for the evaluation of the coating film condition of steel structures” developed by SSSLAB was designated as the NEW EXCELLENT TECHNOLOGY No. 933.

• • Jan 2022: Professor Hoon Sohn has been appointed as a committee member of 국토안전자문위원회 기반시설분과.

• • Dec 2021: Professor Hoon Sohn attended the KTV-KAIST business agreement ceremony.

• • Nov 2021: (1) Professor Hoon Sohn was invited to a distinguished lecture series event and gave a lecture at the University of Sydney; (2) Professor Hoon Sohn gave a plenary talk at the International Meet & Expo on Laser, Optics, and Photonics (OPTICSMEET2021); (3) Professor Hoon Sohn attended the forum and presented the lecture; and (4) Professor Hoon Sohn gave a plenary presentation at the 10th Australasian Congress on Applied Mechanics (ACAM 2021)

• • Oct 2021: Professor Hoon Sohn had an interview on KTV 국민방송.The interview title is 'A new extension of the digital new deal, the metaverse.

• • Sep 2021: (1) Professor Hoon Sohn won KOFST outstanding paper award and (2) Professor Hoon Sohn has been appointed as ILP (Industrial Liaison program) director.