Grupo Geosi | Universidad de los Andes

Dr. Caro is now a member of the Editorial Board of Construction and Building Materials

admin — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 16:56:46 +0000

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Caro has been appointed as a member of the Editorial Board of the renowned journal Construction and Building Materials, published by Elsevier. This appointment highlights Dr. Caro’s significant contribution to the field of construction materials and strengthens the influence of our research group within the international scientific community. Congratulations, Dr. Caro, on this remarkable achievement!

Doctoral Thesis Defense: A Framework for the Long-Term Planning of Infrastructure Based on Flexibility

admin — Tue, 28 May 2024 02:16:36 +0000

We are pleased to extend the invitation to the doctoral thesis defense “A Framework for the Long-Term Planning of Infrastructure Based on Flexibility” by doctoral candidate Samuel Torres Rincon. The defense will take place this Thursday, May 30, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM in both virtual and in-person modalities (Hemiciclo 001, Lleras Hall 001).

A Framework for the Long-Term Planning of Infrastructure Based on Flexibility

This thesis presents a framework for infrastructure planning and design under conditions of deep uncertainty based on the concept of flexibility. The proposed framework combines techniques for decision-making under uncertainty (exploratory simulation and scenario discovery) with reinforcement learning algorithms. The use of these techniques allows a better understanding of the long-term consequences of design decisions by simulating interactions between the system and a wide variety of external conditions and provides support tools to explore the space of adaptive designs and policies in an efficient way.

We invite all interested parties to participate in this event in the following modalities:

In-person: Hemiciclo 001, Lleras Hall 001.
Virtual: Access through the following link.

We look forward to your participation!

Participation in the XXII CILA (Ibero-Latin American Asphalt Congress)

admin — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 00:26:14 +0000

Our research group successfully participated in the recent XXII Ibero-Latin American Asphalt Congress (CILA), which was held recently. At this important international meeting, Professor Silvia Caro and doctoral student Angelica Viana presented their research, contributing to the advancement of knowledge in the field of asphalt.

Professor Silvia Caro presented a paper titled “The Formation of New Professional Profiles to Meet the New Needs of the Industry.” Angelica Viana, a doctoral student, discussed her study “Effect of the Addition of Encapsulated Rejuvenators on the Mechanical Behavior of Asphalt Mortars.”

In total, our university contributed four technical papers, in collaboration with academics from the Industrial University of Santander, the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, and the University of Bío-Bío in Chile.

We thank and congratulate all the members of the group for their effort and dedication at this international event.

New article published: Dynamic Infrastructure Systems: Advancing Sustainable Urbanization and Climate Change

admin — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 23:50:18 +0000

In a recent study published in Environment Systems and Decisions, researchers Mauricio Sánchez-Silva and Jack W. Baker introduce the concept of “Dynamic Infrastructure Systems” (DIS). This approach addresses the growing gap between infrastructure needs and investments, particularly in middle and low-income countries, significantly impacting environmental sustainability.

DIS proposes adaptive infrastructure design and management that supports sustainable growth and adaptation. The authors emphasize the need for a strategic vision that adapts to future uncertainties, suggesting a critical shift in how urban infrastructures are planned and managed.

This study serves as a call to action for urban planners and managers, underscoring the importance of preparing our cities for the challenges of climate change and sustainable development.

For more details about this study and the proposed reforms, please consult the complete article at https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10669-024-09969-8.

GeoSI Seminar: Regolith Simulant of the Mars Insight Landing Site

admin — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 21:02:32 +0000

We would like to extend an invitation to our upcoming seminar from the Geomaterials and Infrastructure Systems Research Group (GeoSI). The seminar serves as a platform for dissemination where we share topics of interest to the academic and professional environment in Civil Engineering.

The second seminar of the semester will be held next Thursday, March 14th, at 11:00 AM in both virtual and in-person formats (Classroom W 102). It will be led by Dr.-Ing. Pierre Delage, currently a professor at Ecole des Ponts ParisTech and a member of the scientific team of InSight, a geophysical mission carried out by NASA on Mars.

In this session, along with our guest, we will learn about the analysis of the interaction between a simulated Martian regolith and the base of the seismometer (SEIS), installed on the surface of Mars as part of the InSight mission.

Regolith Simulant of the Mars Insight Landing Site

During this presentation, we will delve into a comprehensive analysis of the interaction between a simulated Martian soil and the foot of the seismometer (SEIS) that was recently placed on the surface of Mars as part of the NASA InSight mission.

Those interested in attending, please fill in your details at the links below:

Virtual attendance registration at the following link.

https://uniandes-edu-co.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYlde6spzwiGdEcaL0ir_zm2XghjL0JgCSW

In-person attendance registration at the following link.

Personal attendance form

New article published: The Climate Sciences Need Representation from the Global South

admin — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 20:35:58 +0000

In a recent article, PhD student Lina Leon, ain collaboration with PhD. Andrés Virguez and PhD. Lyssa Freese, address the significance of a more equitable representation of the Global South in the field of climate sciences. The research, published in one of the leading journals in the field, examines the volume of scientific publications produced in the top 10 most influential journals in this area, revealing a limited representation of countries from the Global South, with the exception of China.

The research team also discusses the implications of the U.S. Supreme Court decision to end affirmative action in college admissions, which could jeopardize the ability of higher education institutions to attract members from underrepresented minorities. This sets a concerning precedent that other countries might follow.

Based on an analysis contrasting the perspectives of the Global South with the challenges faced by the Global North in terms of climate mitigation, the authors issue a call to action directed at senior leaders in the higher education sector and scientific societies. They urge the implementation of immediate reforms to facilitate equitable access to science, empower local perspectives, and provide pathways for members of historically underrepresented groups to access the necessary resources to pursue scientific careers in climate sciences.

For more details about this study and the proposed reforms, please consult the complete article at Link.

GeoSI Seminar: Maintenance and Evaluation of Asphalt Pavements Using Microwave Technology

admin — Tue, 09 May 2023 15:07:10 +0000

On Friday, May 12th, from 11:00 a.m. to 11:59 a.m., the seminar of the Geomaterials and Infrastructure Systems Research Group (GeoSI) at Universidad de los Andes will take place. This seminar will be given by Álvaro Andrés González Vaccarezza, PhD, who is an Associate Professor in the School of Civil Construction at the Catholic University of Chile.

Álvaro is currently the director of a Fondecyt project in the area of asphalt technology; he is also the Director of Extension and DICTUC at the School of Engineering, and the Director of the Road Engineering Unit of Dictuc. His presentation is titled “Maintenance and Evaluation of Asphalt Pavements Using Microwave Technology”.

The technique of self-repair of asphalt pavements using microwave technology has been mainly investigated at the laboratory level. In this talk, the advances in the development of a microwave applicator machine made in Chile to perform maintenance on asphalt pavements at a real scale, and an analysis of the sustainability of the technique, will be presented. The results indicate that the application of microwave technology on asphalt pavements promises to change the way pavement maintenance is done, by reducing costs and significantly decreasing the environmental impact and waiting times for road users.

We look forward to seeing you there!

This seminar will be held virtually. Registration must be done through the following link: https://uniandes-edu-co.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEscOiqrTIqHtbqKemB0es3lhH8KV-nhSnJ

GeoSI Seminar: Corporate presentation by RK Consulting Colombia (Mining and Environmental Geotechnics)

admin — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 22:21:23 +0000

On Friday, April 28th, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, the Seminar of the Geomaterials and Infrastructure Systems Research Group (GeoSI) at Universidad de los Andes will take place.

This time, the seminar will be conducted by three members of the SRK Consulting Colombia team (a company dedicated to mining and environmental geotechnics), who will present their company and its global and local activities. They will also showcase innovation projects developed by the company and research opportunities that could be developed in cooperation with Uniandes.

We are pleased to announce that this edition of the GeoSI Seminar will be held in a hybrid format (in-person + virtual) at AU 102.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Registration for the Zoom room of the event must be done through the following link:

https://uniandes-edu-co.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEscOiqrTIqHtbqKemB0es3lhH8KV-nhSnJ

1st Panamanian Asphalt Congress: “Advances and challenges in characterizing moisture damage in asphalt mixes”.

admin — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 06:06:22 +0000

Professor Silvia Caro Spinel will present the topic “Advances and challenges in characterizing moisture damage in asphalt mixes” at the 1st Panamanian Asphalt Congress.

This presentation addresses the study and identification of damage that moisture can cause in asphalt mixes, as well as advances and challenges in their characterization.

For further details, please refer to https://ipafundacion.com.

New article: Integrating systems thinking and flexibility in infrastructure management.

admin — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 05:30:18 +0000

Professor Mauricio Sánchez Silva, along with PhD student Nayled Acuña Coll, recently published a scientific article titled “Integrating systems thinking and flexibility in infrastructure management” in the journal Innovative Infrastructure Solutions.

This article presents a conceptual proposal that combines systems thinking and flexibility as the main pillars to facilitate systems to respond and change over time. It also proposes integrating these concepts into a physical and financial infrastructure model. The outcome is a set of management policies that render the actions that best reflect the interest of stakeholders.

For further details, please refer to the full article at https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41062-023-01106-9.