Artificial Intelligence and Smart Technologies for Sustainable Civil Engineering

Civil engineering is experiencing a paradigm shift driven by artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), automation, and sustainable practices. Across multiple studies, AI has been shown to optimize material design, enhance monitoring systems, and support resilient infrastructure. Machine learning models accurately predict compressive strength and embodied carbon of eco-friendly concrete, while Artificial Intelligence based life cycle analysis improves the sustainability assessment of geopolymer concretes. Complementary research highlights quarry dust and industrial by-products as viable substitutes for natural resources, promoting low carbon construction. In structural health monitoring, edge-AI frameworks enable real-time crack detection in bridges, enhancing safety and reducing latency. Generative AI integrated with Building Information Modeling (BIM) introduces automated structural design pipelines, producing diverse and regulation-compliant solutions. Internet of Things systems play a pivotal role in smart cities, enabling real-time management of energy, transportation, and utilities, while seismic automation platforms like RAPID-SIS accelerate disaster response through automated accelerograph data processing. Fuzzy logic strengthens decision-making in uncertain transportation systems, offering reliable solutions for congestion, safety, and autonomous vehicle control. At the industrial scale, Industry 5.0 approaches such as AI powered virtual assistants in concrete plants demonstrate improved efficiency, reduced human error, and sustainable operations. Collectively, these innovations illustrate a convergence of digital transformation and ecological responsibility, providing a framework for developing resilient, sustainable, and smart infrastructure. By integrating advanced digital tools, eco-friendly materials, and human–machine collaboration, civil engineering is poised to meet the challenges of climate change, rapid urbanization and resource scarcity while aligning with global sustainability goals.