Background:
Xiao Pan is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of British Columbia (UBC). He obtained his Ph.D. degree (GPA 93/100) in Structural and Earthquake Engineering at UBC in 2022, MSc degree (1st class honors, distinction) from Imperial College London in 2017, and two Bachelor’s Degrees in Civil Engineering (1st class honors) from the National University of Ireland (Galway), and Jiangnan University (China) in 2016.
Research highlights and interests:
Xiao Pan’s research lies in structural and earthquake engineering, with the focus on the development and application of AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and robotic technologies for:
- Structural health monitoring and performance assessment
- Novel experimental testing and numerical simulation methods
- Automated construction and quality assurance of modular structures
These are highly interdisciplinary research areas integrating different knowledge and technologies in computer science, robotics, and structural engineering, which greatly contribute to a smart, resilient, and sustainable built environment. He has developed an end-to-end automated assessment framework for rapid post-disaster damage detection and loss estimation of civil structures, which consists of novel deep learning classification and object detection algorithms, as well as the performance-based earthquake engineering methodology [2]. Within the framework, Xiao has renovated the traditional 2D vision-based SHM by proposing a novel 3D vision-based pipeline [3]. Within this context, he has validated the pipeline on concrete structures, steel structures [4], and structural bolted connections [5]. On the other hand, to bridge the gap between the vibration-based SHM and vision-based SHM, Xiao has developed a vision-based structural vibration measurement pipeline, which provides cheap, accurate, and real-time sensor feedback, which is useful for vibration-based SHM and structural dynamic and quasi-static tests [6]. More recently, in collaboration with his colleagues, Xiao has been co-developing UAV-based [7] and UGV-based [8] technologies for autonomous damage inspection of civil structures.
Xiao Pan is leading the AI & Smart Technologies team within the Smart Structures Group at UBC [1]. He has been leading multiple major research projects funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada (totaled over $7 million). He has been responsible for organizing numerous meetings and events, workshops, and site visits for other research teams and industrial collaborators. Within the research team, he has been supervising/co-supervising Ph.D., Master’s, and undergraduate intern students in various research projects, including vision-based SHM, robot-aided SHM, AI-aided modular construction using crane technologies, AI-aided numerical and experimental research of novel dampers, structural components, and nonlinear shake table control. In addition, he has been providing technical feedback to the design and assessment of multiple landmark buildings and indigenous structures in Canada, the US, and China.
Selected referred journal publications:
[1]. Pan, X., Yang, T. Y. (2023). 3D vision-based bolt loosening assessment using photogrammetry, deep neural networks, and 3D point-cloud processing. Journal of Building Engineering.
[2] Pan, X., Xiao, Y., Yao, H., Yang, T. Y., & Adeli, H. (2023). Vision-based real-time structural vibration measurement through interactive deep-learning-based detection and tracking methods. Engineering Structures.
[3]. Pan, X., Tavasoli, S., Yang, T. Y. (2023). Autonomous 3D vision-based bolt loosening assessment using micro aerial vehicles. Computer-aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering.
[4]. Tavasoli, S., Pan, X., Yang, T. Y. (2023). Real-time autonomous indoor navigation and vision-based damage assessment of reinforced concrete structures using low-cost nano aerial vehicles. Journal of Building Engineering.
[5] Pan, X., Yang, T. Y. (2022). 3D vision-based out-of-plane displacement quantification for steel plate structures using structure from motion, deep learning and point cloud processing. Computer-aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering.
[6]. Xiao, Y., Pan, X., Yang, T. Y. (2022). Nonlinear backstepping hierarchical control of shake table using high-gain observer, Earthquake Engineering & Structural Dynamics.
[7]. Pan, X., & Yang, T. Y. (2021). Image-based monitoring of bolt loosening through deep-learning-based integrated detection and tracking. Computer-aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, 1–16.
[8]. Pan, X., Yang T.Y. (2020). Postdisaster image-based damage detection and repair cost estimation of reinforced concrete buildings using dual convolutional neural networks. Computer-aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, 35:495–510.
[9]. Pan, X., Málaga-Chuquitaype C (2020). Seismic control of rocking structures via external resonators. Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics. 49:1180-1196. (Top Cited Article, Top Downloaded Article)
[10]. Yang, T. Y., Li, T., Tobber, L., & Pan, X. (2020). Experimental and numerical study of honeycomb structural fuses. Engineering Structures, 204, 109814.
Book Chapters:
Xiao, Y., Pan, X., Tavasoli, S., M. Azimi, Yang T.Y. “Autonomous inspection and construction of civil infrastructure using robots.” Automation in Construction toward Resilience, edited by Ehsan Noroozinejad Farsangi, Mohammad Noori, Tony T.Y. Yang, Paulo B. Lourenço, Paolo Gardoni Izuru Takewaki, Eleni Chatzi, Shaofan Li.
Awards:
2022 Top Cited Article Award, Journal of Earthquake Engineering & Structural Dynamics (top journal)
2020-2022 President’s Academic Excellence Initiative PhD Award, UBC, Canada.
2019 Civil Engineering PhD Excellence Award, UBC, Canada.
2018-2022 International Tuition Award, UBC, Canada.
2018-2022 Ph.D. fellowship, UBC.
2016 Tobin Gold Medal, Tobin Consulting Engineers, Ireland.
2016 Ward and Burke Medal, Ward & Burke Construction Ltd, Ireland.
2016 University Research Scholarship for Undergraduates, NUI Galway, Ireland.
2015-2016 First Class Honours Award, NUI Galway, Ireland.
2015 RPS Consulting Engineers Prize, RPS Group, Ireland.
2014 University Tuition Fees Scholarship (40% deduction), NUI Galway, Ireland.
2014 China’s National Scholarship for Outstanding Undergraduates, Educational Ministry of China.
2013/2014 University First-prize Award to Excellent Undergraduate Students, Jiangnan University, China.