Pre-Conference Short Course
The world-recognized 2-Day Pre-Conference Course: Structural Health Monitoring Using Statistical Pattern Recognition will be offered by Los Alamos Dynamics on January 5–6, 2026, just prior to the LATAM-SHM 2026 Conference.
This course will introduce engineers to the field of damage assessment (detection, localization, severity) in structures, as determined from changes in their measured dynamic response. Beyond the historical motivation and method development, the course covers theory, application, and computerized implementation with hands-on software exercises. Numerous real-world examples from aerospace, civil, and mechanical engineering will be presented. A key focus will be the application of statistical pattern recognition techniques.
Who Should Attend?
Graduate students, researchers, professors, and professionals in civil, mechanical, and aerospace engineering interested in advanced SHM strategies. Participants should have a basic understanding of structural mechanics, dynamics, and mathematics at the undergraduate level.
Course Topics Include:
- Introduction to SHM and NDE methods
- Operational evaluation and damage definition
- Data acquisition, sensing technologies, and signal processing
- Feature extraction and damage-sensitive metrics
- Supervised and unsupervised learning methods
- Data normalization and environmental effects
- SHM system design and performance assessment
Instructors:
- Dr. Michael D. Todd — Distinguished Professor, UC San Diego, leading researcher in nonlinear diagnostics and UAV-enabled SHM.
- Dr. Charles R. Farrar — President, Los Alamos Dynamics, internationally recognized pioneer in SHM, co-author of Structural Health Monitoring: A Machine Learning Perspective.
Location:
Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (FCFM), University of Chile, Beauchef Campus, Santiago, Chile.
Fees & Registration:
- Early (by Oct 1, 2025): €550
- Regular (from Oct 2, 2025): €650
Includes course materials (digital & print) and coffee breaks. Travel, accommodation, and meals are not included.