A joint research effort, led by Professor Kenichi Soga and composed of CITRIS and Kajima Corporation, is advancing the future of resilient, data-driven infrastructure through real-world deployment.

One major research project uses long-range fiber optic cables to detect subtle vibrations in the ground, providing real-time insights into subsurface condition. This technology’s high resolution and accuracy can be used to monitor buried infrastructure such as pipelines or levees, and it ultimately helps cities transition from reactive to proactive maintenance. Kajima engineers have already begun deploying the system in Japan and are looking to scale it for use in the US and beyond.

Another project aims to predict not just whether a slope might fail, but how it will behave once it does. Using the material point method (MPM), a cutting-edge simulation technology developed at UC Berkeley, researchers can model how soil and debris would move during a landslide — allowing for more targeted risk mitigation and faster disaster response.

Read more in the full article.