TÜV AUSTRIA and the Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna Successfully Conclude PhD Research Collaboration on Structural Health Monitoring

TÜV AUSTRIA and the Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna have successfully completed their joint PhD research collaboration in the field of Structural Health Monitoring, delivering new insights and methodological advances that enhance the safety and reliability of critical infrastructure.

Vienna/Bologna, February 5, 2026 – Over the past three years, the collaboration between TÜV AUSTRIA and the Advanced Research Center on Electronic Systems (ARCES) at the Università di Bologna focused on developing innovative monitoring and testing methods that combine scientific excellence with practical application.

The research programme encompassed three complementary PhD projects, each addressing a key challenge in the field of Structural Health Monitoring. The first project investigated the requalification of composite pressure vessels and developed a dedicated testing and requalification scheme for Type IV composite cylinders. A second research track introduced a novel vibration-based methodology for detecting and localising structural damage in bridges, contributing to more reliable condition assessment of civil infrastructure. The third project concentrated on corrosion monitoring in metallic pressure vessels, demonstrating how active corrosion processes can be identified using acoustic emission monitoring without the need for external excitation.

A key success factor of this collaboration was the close and continuous exchange between the academic research teams and the domain experts involved in the projects. Throughout the programme, the PhD candidates worked in structured review loops, joint workshops and hands-on testing campaigns with specialists from TÜV AUSTRIA, TÜV AUSTRIA ITALIA and SINT Technology, allowing challenges to be addressed quickly and approaches to be refined in real time. This strong synergy between theoretical research and practical expertise ultimately enabled solutions that enhance operational safety and support predictive maintenance for complex structures.

These achievements reinforce TÜV AUSTRIA’s leading role in condition-based inspection and monitoring. The successful conclusion highlights the value of international cooperation in driving technological progress. The Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna and TÜV AUSTRIA have set a benchmark for collaborative innovation, demonstrating how joint efforts can shape the future of structural safety.

TÜV AUSTRIA Group
Dipl.-Ing. Christoph Schwald
Executive Vice President Research, Development & Innovation
+43664604546576
innovation@tuv.at
en.tuv.at/research-development-innovation/