Multiphysics-Enabled Digital Twin Framework for Solar Loading Thermography-Based Wood Structure Strength Prediction

first_page Download PDF settings Order Article Reprints Font Type: Arial Georgia Verdana Font Size: Aa Aa Aa Line Spacing:    Column Width:    Background: Open AccessAbstract Multiphysics-Enabled Digital Twin Framework for Solar Loading Thermography-Based Wood Structure Strength Prediction † by Yinuo DingYinuo Ding SciProfiles Scilit Preprints.org Google Scholar 1, Zhiyang ZhangZhiyang Zhang SciProfiles Scilit Preprints.org Google Scholar 1, Gilda RussoGilda Russo SciProfiles Scilit Preprints.org Google Scholar 2, Stefano SfarraStefano Sfarra SciProfiles Scilit Preprints.org Google Scholar 2,* and Hai ZhangHai Zhang SciProfiles Scilit Preprints.org Google Scholar 1,* 1 Centre for Composite Materials and Structures (CCMS), Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China 2 Department of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics (DIIIE), University of L'Aquila, I-67100 L'Aquila, Italy * Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed. † Presented at the 18th International Workshop on Advanced Infrared Technology and Applications (AITA 2025), Kobe, Japan, 15–19 September 2025. Proceedings 2025, 129(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025129005 Published: 12 September 2025 Download keyboard_arrow_down Download PDF Download PDF with Cover Download XML Download Epub Browse Figures Versions Notes Keywords: solar loading thermography (SLT); digital Twin; finite element analysis; structural integrity; soft rot; moisture gradient; heritage conservation In this study, we employ solar loading infrared thermography to non-invasively assess the internal defects and degradation of the millennium-old composite wooden columns at Baoguo Temple [1,2,3]. As one of China's best-preserved heritage timber structures (see Figure 1), the temple's mortise-and-tenon construction and fine inter-joint gaps are highly susceptible to moisture ingress and biological decay, leading to soft rot and micro-cracks. Traditional invasive probes are time-consuming and risk surface damage. By harnessing diurnal solar loading, we record surface thermal responses at multiple time-points from sunrise to noon using a mid-wave infrared camera [4], capturing subsurface anomalies—such as fissures, insect galleries, and decay—manifested as thermal contrasts [5,6].Thermal images are preprocessed by background subtraction and temporal differential filtering to enhance weak anomaly signals. A segmentation algorithm automatically delineates thermal anomaly contours, which are then spatially registered onto a high-resolution 3D scan of the composite column (see Figure 2).Integrating environmental monitoring data, we incorporate real-time wind speed, relative humidity, and precipitation into the evaluation workflow. Wind loads [7], derived from computational fluid dynamics simulations, are applied over the column's composite surfaces, while moisture ingress under humidity and rainfall is modeled via diffusion equations to adjust local mechanical properties [8]. This Multiphysics coupling reveals the stress concentration and deformation evolution within defect zones under realistic climatic conditions [9].Finally, leveraging the material degradation map from thermography and the Multiphysics loading scenario, we develop a transient finite element model that yields 3D stress and displacement fields. By benchmarking simulated stresses against timber bending and compressive strength limits, we compute safety factors and flag high-risk composite joints and decay zones for prioritized intervention [10]. This non-destructive workflow obviates manual probing, enabling rapid on-site defect detection and preliminary structural health assessment, thus supporting informed conservation strategies [11,12].This work pioneers the integration of solar loading infrared thermography and Multiphysics transient numerical simulation into a cohesive "detection–modeling–evaluation" workflow, offering a replicable, non-contact methodology for structural health monitoring and the risk assessment of heritage timber architecture. Initially, diurnal solar excitation generates surface thermal gradients, recorded by a mid-wave infrared camera to achieve high-resolution imaging of subsurface anomalies such as fissures, soft rot, and insect galleries within the millennium-old composite columns of Baoguo Temple. Subsequently, accurate 3D scanning collects the geometric data of the column assemblies, which are co-registered with thermal imagery to establish a spatially consistent dataset for numerical analysis.By coupling environmental monitoring (wind speed, relative humidity, and precipitation) with imposed mechanical loads (bending moments and axial pressures), the Multiphysics simulation accounts for the dynamic influence of climatic conditions and service loads on timber properties. Wind loads, derived from computational fluid dynamics, adhere to the column surfaces, while moisture diffusion models dynamically adjust local moisture content and elastic modulus. Finally, the material degradation map extracted from thermography feeds into a transient finite element model that outputs real-time 3D stress and displacement fields (see Figure 3).Safety factors are computed by benchmarking simulated stresses against timber bending and compressive strength limits, and high-risk zones are flagged for prioritized intervention. This non-destructive workflow eliminates the need for invasive probing, balancing detection efficiency with preservation safety, and enables rapid on-site workflows for "defect detection–risk quantification–maintenance planning." Author ContributionsConceptualization, Y.D. and H.Z.; methodology, Y.D.; software, Y.D.; validation, Y.D., Z.Z. and S.S.; formal analysis, Y.D.; investigation, Y.D. and H.Z.; resources, G.R.; data curation, Z.Z.; writing—original draft preparation, Y.D.; writing—review and editing, Y.D. and H.Z.; visualization, Y.D.; supervision, H.Z.; project administration, H.Z.; funding acquisition, S.S. and H.Z. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.FundingThis work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2023YFE0197800) and the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) (PGR02110).Institutional Review Board StatementNot applicable.Informed Consent StatementNot applicable.Data Availability StatementThe dataset includes legally regulated and heritage-protection-sensitive information. To comply with applicable regulations, the data are not publicly released.Conflicts of InterestThe authors declare no conflicts of interest.ReferencesZhang, S.Q. Ningbo Baoguo Temple Main Hall: Survey Analysis and Fundamental Study; Southeast University Press: Nanjing, China, 2012. (In Chinese) [Google Scholar]Zhang, S.Q. A Comparative Study of Nine-by-nine-bay Tingtang-type Structures in Southern China—Taking the Main Hall of Baoguo Temple as Example. Chin. Archit. Hist. 2015, 1, 167–182. (In Chinese) [Google Scholar]Zhang, S.Q. 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An example of the impact of soft rot on the strain field of three-dimensional models. Disclaimer/Publisher's Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content. © 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Share and Cite MDPI and ACS Style Ding, Y.; Zhang, Z.; Russo, G.; Sfarra, S.; Zhang, H. Multiphysics-Enabled Digital Twin Framework for Solar Loading Thermography-Based Wood Structure Strength Prediction. Proceedings 2025, 129, 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025129005 AMA Style Ding Y, Zhang Z, Russo G, Sfarra S, Zhang H. Multiphysics-Enabled Digital Twin Framework for Solar Loading Thermography-Based Wood Structure Strength Prediction. Proceedings. 2025; 129(1):5. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025129005 Chicago/Turabian Style Ding, Yinuo, Zhiyang Zhang, Gilda Russo, Stefano Sfarra, and Hai Zhang. 2025. "Multiphysics-Enabled Digital Twin Framework for Solar Loading Thermography-Based Wood Structure Strength Prediction" Proceedings 129, no. 1: 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025129005 APA Style Ding, Y., Zhang, Z., Russo, G., Sfarra, S., & Zhang, H. (2025). Multiphysics-Enabled Digital Twin Framework for Solar Loading Thermography-Based Wood Structure Strength Prediction. Proceedings, 129(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2025129005 Article Metrics No No Article Access Statistics Multiple requests from the same IP address are counted as one view.