Research Focus
The summer research on Urban Mining Innovation will address:
- 1. Autonomous building survey: Understanding structures before deconstruction is critical to determine how materials can effectively be mined.
- 2. Emerging technologies in computer vision (CV) and image recognition will enable the processing of building imagery before creating 3D Building Information Models (BIM).
- 3. Develop procedures to examine the mechanical, thermal, and other physical performance characteristics of remanufactured materials to ensure that reclaimed materials and assemblies can receive authorized certification and comply with the EPA-sponsored Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) tool for embodied carbon emission accounting and carbon certifications associated with remanufactured materials.
Skills, Techniques, Methods
Students will primarily explore Autonomous surveying relying on existing sensing technologies such as Laser Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)/photogrammetry sensors and high-resolution cameras, as well as qualitative and quantitative deconstruction surveys to collect building data. The student will learn emerging technologies in computer vision (CV) and image recognition, which will enable the processing of building imagery before creating 3D Building Information Models (BIM). BIM models will provide information on building configurations, material type/quantity/content/quality, hazards, carbon embodiment, and more. This data will allow a swift assessment of the building before deconstruction.
Research Conditions
The student should expect to engage primarily in on-campus lab work, literature review, and data analysis. Depending on the project, some opportunities for fieldwork may be available.
Team Structure and Opportunities
Undergraduate students will meet regularly with Dr. Yin and attend weekly meetings. They will also collaborate with researchers from different institutes. Research experiences are expected to primarily occur with the advisor mentor present for training and guidance, with opportunities for independent work that will develop an in-depth understanding of the relationship between architectural design and scientific research.
Requirements:
The student will develop field data collection, modeling, and analysis. The research will be the basis of a journal or conference article. The student should have a good writing skill.
