Point Transformer Network-Based Surrogate Model for Spatial Prediction in Bridges

Bridges are essential assets of inland transportation infrastructure; however, they are among the most vulnerable elements of these networks due to deterioration caused by aging and the increasing loads to which they are subjected over time. Consequently, maintenance becomes critical to ensure accep...

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Main Authors: Javier Grandío, Brais Barros, Manuel Cabaleiro, Belén Riveiro
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Infrastructures
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2412-3811/10/4/70
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author Javier Grandío
Brais Barros
Manuel Cabaleiro
Belén Riveiro
author_facet Javier Grandío
Brais Barros
Manuel Cabaleiro
Belén Riveiro
author_sort Javier Grandío
collection DOAJ
description Bridges are essential assets of inland transportation infrastructure; however, they are among the most vulnerable elements of these networks due to deterioration caused by aging and the increasing loads to which they are subjected over time. Consequently, maintenance becomes critical to ensure acceptable levels of safety and service. Finite element (FE) models are traditionally used to reliably assess structural health, but their computational expense often prevents their extensive use in routine bridge assessments. To overcome this computational limitation, this paper presents an innovative deep learning-based surrogate model for predicting local displacements in bridge structures. By utilizing point cloud data and transformer neural networks, the model provides fast and accurate predictions of displacements, addressing the limitations of traditional methods. A case study of a historical bridge demonstrates the model’s efficiency. The proposed approach integrates spatial data processing techniques, offering a computationally efficient alternative for bridge health monitoring. Our results show that the model achieves mean absolute errors below 0.0213 mm, drastically reducing the time required for structural analysis.
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series Infrastructures
spelling doaj-art-84bf2a05bdcd4ed0a2674c98ed069fba2025-08-20T02:18:05ZengMDPI AGInfrastructures2412-38112025-03-011047010.3390/infrastructures10040070Point Transformer Network-Based Surrogate Model for Spatial Prediction in BridgesJavier Grandío0Brais Barros1Manuel Cabaleiro2Belén Riveiro3CINTECX, Universidade de Vigo, GeoTECH Group, Campus Universitario de Vigo, As Lagoas, Marcosende, 36310 Vigo, SpainICITECH, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, SpainCINTECX, Universidade de Vigo, GeoTECH Group, Campus Universitario de Vigo, As Lagoas, Marcosende, 36310 Vigo, SpainCINTECX, Universidade de Vigo, GeoTECH Group, Campus Universitario de Vigo, As Lagoas, Marcosende, 36310 Vigo, SpainBridges are essential assets of inland transportation infrastructure; however, they are among the most vulnerable elements of these networks due to deterioration caused by aging and the increasing loads to which they are subjected over time. Consequently, maintenance becomes critical to ensure acceptable levels of safety and service. Finite element (FE) models are traditionally used to reliably assess structural health, but their computational expense often prevents their extensive use in routine bridge assessments. To overcome this computational limitation, this paper presents an innovative deep learning-based surrogate model for predicting local displacements in bridge structures. By utilizing point cloud data and transformer neural networks, the model provides fast and accurate predictions of displacements, addressing the limitations of traditional methods. A case study of a historical bridge demonstrates the model’s efficiency. The proposed approach integrates spatial data processing techniques, offering a computationally efficient alternative for bridge health monitoring. Our results show that the model achieves mean absolute errors below 0.0213 mm, drastically reducing the time required for structural analysis.https://www.mdpi.com/2412-3811/10/4/70infrastructuredeep learningfinite element modellingsurrogate modellingsteel bridge
spellingShingle Javier Grandío
Brais Barros
Manuel Cabaleiro
Belén Riveiro
Point Transformer Network-Based Surrogate Model for Spatial Prediction in Bridges
Infrastructures
infrastructure
deep learning
finite element modelling
surrogate modelling
steel bridge
title Point Transformer Network-Based Surrogate Model for Spatial Prediction in Bridges
title_full Point Transformer Network-Based Surrogate Model for Spatial Prediction in Bridges
title_fullStr Point Transformer Network-Based Surrogate Model for Spatial Prediction in Bridges
title_full_unstemmed Point Transformer Network-Based Surrogate Model for Spatial Prediction in Bridges
title_short Point Transformer Network-Based Surrogate Model for Spatial Prediction in Bridges
title_sort point transformer network based surrogate model for spatial prediction in bridges
topic infrastructure
deep learning
finite element modelling
surrogate modelling
steel bridge
url https://www.mdpi.com/2412-3811/10/4/70
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AT braisbarros pointtransformernetworkbasedsurrogatemodelforspatialpredictioninbridges
AT manuelcabaleiro pointtransformernetworkbasedsurrogatemodelforspatialpredictioninbridges
AT belenriveiro pointtransformernetworkbasedsurrogatemodelforspatialpredictioninbridges