NHERI Lehigh Offers Short Course Introducing Real-Time Hybrid Simulation
Published on July 20, 2025
James Ricles welcomes participants to the Hybrid Simulation 101 Short Course. (Image: NHERI Lehigh)
The NHERI Lehigh Cyber-Physical Systems Simulation Experimental Facility recently organized and presented a short course titled “Hybrid Simulation 101: A Short Course on the Theory, Implementation, and Application of Real-Time Hybrid Simulation.”
The NHERI Lehigh EF has pioneered the field of large-scale multi-directional real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) in natural hazards applications. RTHS combines physical testing of critical components with numerical simulation of the remaining system, enabling efficient evaluation of complex structural system behavior.
The course offered a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals and advancements in RTHS, focusing on RTHS theory, implementation, and applications to structural systems subjected to extreme natural hazards such as windstorms and earthquakes. The instruction emphasized the integration of cyber and physical systems, incorporating artificial intelligence to assess the dynamic response of multi-physics systems under extreme conditions.
The instruction was part of the June 24-26 NHERI Lehigh researcher’s workshop. Course materials, including lecture notes and references, are available on ResearchGate and DesignSafe. Those interested in hosting this short course at their institution or facility are welcome to contact Prof. James M. Ricles for information.
Guided by Thomas Marullo, NEHRI Lehigh EF IT Manager and Research Scientist, students prepare to perform one of the RTHS group hands-on homework assignments, using neural networks to account for soil-foundation-interaction effects on building performance during the maximum considered earthquake event. (Image: NHERI Lehigh)
Real-time hybrid simulation configuration, illustrating the integration of a neural network model of the soil-foundation system into the simulation. (Image: NHERI Lehigh)
Real-time hybrid simulation of a three-story structure with nonlinear viscous dampers, illustrating the effects of soil-foundation-structure interaction on system performance during the design basis earthquake. (Image: NHERI Lehigh)
Course details. The theoretical content was reinforced with course notes and curated references, which helped participants deepen their understanding of RTHS. These resources covered theories from various disciplines, including structural analysis, dynamics, mechanics, control engineering, numerical methods, linear algebra, computer science, and artificial intelligence and machine learning.
The curriculum featured lectures, along with a homework assignment that allowed participants to apply multi-physics RTHS in evaluating structural resilience under extreme natural hazards, taking soil-foundation-structure interaction effects into account. The short course concluded with group presentations, where participants showcased their homework assignments, using RTHS to assess the impact of soil-structure interaction on the effectiveness of supplemental dampers to reduce structural and nonstructural damage in systems during a major earthquake.
The lectures were co-authored and presented by Prof. James M. Ricles, NHERI Lehigh EF Director, and Malik Faisal Nissar, PhD Research Assistant. The hands-on laboratory exercises were supported by Thomas Marullo, NHERI Lehigh EF IT Manager, and Dr. LIANG CAO, NHERI Lehigh EF Research Scientist. Logistics were managed by Dr. Joe Saunders, PhD, NHERI Lehigh EF Operations Manager.
Following their successful completion of an RTHS during the hands-on homework assignment, participants pose with instructors Faisal Malik and James Ricles. (Image: NHERI Lehigh)
At the NHERI Leigh facility, a view of the large-scale soil box used to conduct alternative RTHS soil-foundation-structure interaction experiments. (Image: NHERI Lehigh)
The NHERI Lehigh EF is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and supported through NHERI DesignSafe. It is part of the Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems (ATLSS) Engineering Research Center at Lehigh University, within the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science at Lehigh University, the Lehigh University Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and Institute for Cyber Physical Infrastructure & Energy (I-CPIE).
