The SUBLIME project is proud to celebrate the achievement of PhD researcher Elena Zancato, who received the Best Innovative Research award at the M2i/MaterialenNL Conference 2024. This two-day event, held at the National Sports Centre Papendal in Arnhem, brought together researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers to explore advancements in materials innovation.
The first day was dedicated to fostering community engagement within the materials science field through presentations, posters and pitch sessions. Elena’s award-winning research stood out during these sessions, earning top recognition in the poster evaluation and pitching event. The second day of the conference opened its doors to a broader audience, offering technical presentations and discussions to share innovations and insights with the wider public.
Elena’s research addresses the pressing issue of aging steel bridges, many of which are nearing the end of their designed service life. Her work focuses on developing a probabilistic framework for fatigue assessment by integrating Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) with predictive models. Utilizing Bayesian inference and fracture mechanics, her approach updates predictions of a bridge’s structural reliability based on data gathered form the structure. This method enhances life-span predictions, reduces uncertainty, and ensures safer, more sustainable infrastructure management.
Through collaborations with industrial partners, Elena’s research optimizes the placement and type of sensors, balancing cost and accuracy while providing actionable insights for large-scale infrastructure applications. The tools and methodologies she develops aim to extend the service life of critical infrastructures, reduce material wastage, and support circular economy goals.
This year M2i Conference presented awards in three categories: Best Applicable Research, Best Innovative Research, and Best Public Relations. Elena’s recognition in the Best Innovative Research category underscores the significance of her contributions to sustainable engineering.
The SUBLIME team congratulates Elena on this well-deserved award and looks forward to the continued impact of her work on advancing sustainable and reliable infrastructure solutions.
Smarter Testing for Steel Bridges: How Few Tests Can Tell Us More
Many steel bridges across Europe are reaching the end of their intended service lives, raising critical questions about how to assess and extend their safe use. Within the SUBLIME program (“Sustainable and Reliable Macro Steel Infrastructures”), our mission is to ensure that these critical structures remain safe, sustainable, and serviceable for decades to come. One of the program’s key objectives is developing smarter assessment tools that help us better understand the condition of ageing steel — particularly when data is limited. That’s where the work of Elena Zancato, PhD researcher at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), comes into focus.
WP3 Progress Meeting and Workshop on Sustainable and Reliable Steel Infrastructure
On 11 September 2025, the SUBLIME consortium convened at Leiden University for the WP3 progress meeting and workshop on sustainable and reliable steel infrastructure. Presentations by PhD researcher Faysal Tareq (Leiden University, CML) and Mic Barendsz (Bouwen met Staal) addressed material flows, carbon emissions, and circular design strategies. In the afternoon, Dr. Mohammad Hamida (TU Delft) led an interactive workshop exploring technical, environmental, economic, legal, and social challenges, and identifying possible solutions. The event highlighted the importance of combining material analysis, design practice, and governance perspectives to guide the transition toward circular and climate-resilient steel infrastructures.
Ali Sabzi to Present SUBLIME Research at IEEE SmartNets 2025 in Istanbul
On March 21, 2025, the SUBLIME project consortium gathered for its 2nd Annual User Committee Meeting. Hosted by North Sea Port (NSP) at its Vlissingen premises, the meeting brought together over 30 representatives from research institutions, industry partners, government bodies, and funding agencies to reflect on progress, share research outcomes and explore pathways for future collaboration.
The day featured presentations from PhD and EngD researchers, discussions on key user cases and a site-specific boat tour through the North Sea Port, highlighting the real-world relevance of the project’s themes—fatigue, corrosion, digital monitoring and infrastructure sustainability.