Contact Dr Isidro Durazo Cardenas
- Tel: +44 (0) 1234 750111
- Email: i.s.durazocardenas@cranfield.ac.uk
- Twitter: @DurazoCar
- ORCID
Areas of expertise
- Instrumentation, Sensors and Measurement Science
- Aerospace Materials
- Sensor Technologies
- Through-life Engineering Services
Background
Dr Isidro Durazo‑Cardenas is an academic leader in autonomous systems, robotics and autonmous systems enabled inspection and Through Life Engineering, with over a decade of experience delivering applied research, education and innovation closely aligned to national infrastructure and industrial priorities. His work focuses on enabling the safe, reliable and deployable use of autonomous and robotic systems in regulated, safety‑critical environments, particularly within rail and wider infrastructure sectors.
He holds a number of senior leadership roles at Cranfield, including his role as Assistant Director of Education for Apprenticeships, where he oversees academic quality, coordination and regulatory compliance across the apprenticeship portfolio. He is also Course Director for the Through‑Life Systems Sustainment (TLSS) and Digital Forensics Level 7 MSc apprenticeships, and acts as Cranfield’s UKRRIN Academic Lead, representing the University nationally in rail‑innovation discussions.
Dr Durazo‑Cardenas combines technical expertise with strong industry engagement, contributing to strategic partnerships, national innovation programmes and workforce development in autonomy, robotics and infrastructure engineering.
Research opportunities
Dr Durazo‑Cardenas’ research sits at the intersection of robotics, autonomy and Through‑Life Engineering, with an emphasis on real‑world deployment and impact. His key research interests include:
- Autonomous and robotic inspection and maintenance systems
- Human‑integrated and safety‑assured autonomous systems
- Intelligent sensing, diagnostics and condition monitoring
- Through‑Life Engineering, reliability and asset resilience
- Deployment of robotics in regulated, safety‑critical environments
- Applications in rail, transport infrastructure, energy and industry
His current research vision is focused on developing whole‑life, scalable and regulation‑aligned autonomous systems that improve safety, productivity and long‑term asset performance.
Current activities
Dr Durazo-Cardenas’ current academic activities focus on the leadership and delivery of education, research and national engagement in autonomous systems and infrastructure innovation. He is actively overseeing and enhancing Cranfield’s apprenticeship provision in his role as Assistant Director of Education for Apprenticeships, while continuing to lead curriculum delivery and employer engagement as Course Director for the TLSS and Digital Forensics MSc apprenticeship programmes.
In research, he is directing applied projects in autonomous inspection, human‑integrated robotics and intelligent diagnostics, working closely with industry partners and supervising doctoral and MSc researchers. He represents Cranfield as UKRRIN Academic Lead, contributing to national rail‑innovation strategy and engaging with Network Rail at senior level. Alongside this, he remains involved in academic governance, mentoring early‑career researchers, supporting staff development, and contributing to safety, quality and standards across education and research.
Clients
- Ministry of Defence
- Network Rail
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Wang Y, Yang L, Durazo-Cardenas I & Zhao Y. (2026). Railway track surface defect 3D reconstruction and relocalisation through cross-modality fusion. ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 235
- Durazo-Cardenas I, Goel S, Shore P, Kirkwood L & Cross GLW. (2025). High-performance diamond “Supertools” with extreme tool-life. Diamond and Related Materials, 154
- Wang Y, Liu H, Yang L, Durazo-Cardenas I, Namoano B, .... (2024). A full 3D reconstruction of rail tracks using a camera array. Measurement, 225
- Pandit R, Astolfi D & Durazo-Cardenas I. (2023). A review of predictive techniques used to support decision making for maintenance operations of wind turbines. Energies, 16(4)
- Rahman M, Liu H, Masri M, Durazo-Cardenas I & Starr A. (2023). A railway track reconstruction method using robotic vision on a mobile manipulator: a proposed strategy. Computers in Industry, 148(June)
- Rahman M, Liu H, Durazo-Cardenas I, Starr A, Hall A, .... (2023). A review on the prospects of mobile manipulators for smart maintenance of railway track. Applied Mechanics, 13(11)
- Liu H, Rahman M, Rahimi M, Starr A, Durazo-Cardenas I, .... (2023). An autonomous rail-road amphibious robotic system for railway maintenance using sensor fusion and mobile manipulator. Computers and Electrical Engineering, 110(September)
- Rahimi M, Liu H, Durazo-Cardenas I, Starr A, Hall A, .... (2022). A review on technologies for localisation and navigation in autonomous railway maintenance systems. Sensors, 22(11)
- Bregar T, An D, Gharavian S, Burda M, Durazo-Cardenas I, .... (2021). Author Correction: Carbon nanotube embedded adhesives for real-time monitoring of adhesion failure in high performance adhesively bonded joints. Scientific Reports, 11(1)
- Huerta-Cardoso O, Durazo-Cardenas I, Marchante Rodriguez V, Longhurst PJ & Coulon F. (2020). Up-cycling of agave tequilana bagasse-fibres: A study on the effect of fibre-surface treatments on interfacial bonding and mechanical properties. Results in Materials, 8
- Bregar T, An D, Gharavian S, Burda M, Durazo-Cardenas I, .... (2020). Carbon nanotube embedded adhesives for real-time monitoring of adhesion failure in high performance adhesively bonded joints. Scientific Reports, 10(1)
- Huerta-Cardoso O, Durazo-Cardenas I, Longhurst PJ, Simms NJ & Encinas-Oropesa A. (2020). Fabrication of agave tequilana bagasse/PLA composite and preliminary mechanical properties assessment. Industrial Crops and Products, 152
- An D, Nourry J, Gharavian S, Thakur VK, Aria I, .... (2020). Strain Self-Sensing Tailoring in Functionalised Carbon Nanotubes/Epoxy Nanocomposites in Response to Electrical Resistance Change Measurement.
- Durazo-Cardenas I, Starr A, Turner CJ, Tiwari A, Kirkwood L, .... (2018). An autonomous system for maintenance scheduling data-rich complex infrastructure: Fusing the railways' condition, planning and cost. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 89
- Syed AK, Fitzpatrick ME, Moffatt JE, Doucet J & Durazo-Cardenas I. (2015). Effect of impact damage on fatigue performance of structures reinforced with GLARE bonded crack retarders. International Journal of Fatigue, 80
- Durazo-Cardenas IS, Corbett J & Stephenson DJ. (2014). Permeability and dynamic elastic moduli of controlled porosity ultra-precision aerostatic structures. Ceramics International, 40(2)
- Durazo-Cardenas I, Noguera-Sagrera A & Impey SA. (2014). Analysis of infrared optical polishing effluents and reduction of COD and TSS levels by ultrafiltration and coagulation/flocculation. Desalination and Water Treatment, 52(25-27)
- Durazo‐Cardenas IS, Stephenson DJ & Corbett J. (2010). Controlled Porosity Alumina Structures for Ultra‐Precision Hydrostatic Journal Bearings. Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 93(11)
- Durazo-Cardenas IS, Corbett J & Stephenson DJ. (2010). The performance of a porous ceramic hydrostatic journal bearing. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part J: Journal of Engineering Tribology, 224(1)
- Durazo-Cardenas I, Shore P, Luo X, Jacklin T, Impey SA, .... (2007). 3D characterisation of tool wear whilst diamond turning silicon. Wear, 262(3-4)
Conference Papers
- Faridi Z, Durazo-Cardenas I & Ayre D. (2025). Wave velocity analysis and repeatability of artificial acoustic emission in homogeneous materials: steel and aluminium plates
- Wang Y, Kuang B, Durazo-Cardenas I & Zhao Y. (2024). 3D reconstruction of rail tracks based on fusion of RGB and infrared sensors
- Rahman M, Rahimi M, Starr A, Durazo-Cardenas I, Hall A, .... (2023). Challenges for a railway inspection and repair system from railway infrastructure
- Durazo-Cardenas I, Starr A, Nofal W, Liu H, Rahimi M, .... (2023). Demonstration of an autonomous ultrasonic testing concept for rail flaws inspection
- He F, Durazo-Cardenas Liu H, Rahman M, Rahimi M, Starr A, .... (2022). A practical demonstration of autonomous ultrasonic testing for rail flaws inspection
- Alotaibi A, Durazo Cardenas I, Namoano B & Starr A. (2022). rack geometry deterioration modelling for asset management: A visual analytics approach
- Rahman M, Rahimi M, Starr A, Durazo Cardenas I, Hall A, .... (2022). An overview of the challenges for railway maintenance robots
- Rahimi M, Rahman M, Durazo Cardenas I, Starr A, Hall A, .... (2022). On-track Localisation based on Object Detection
- Rahman M, Liu H, Durazo-Cardenas I, Starr A, Hall A, .... (2021). Towards an autonomous RIRS: design, structure investigation and framework
- Wood A, Kirkwood L, Feng Z, Alhaydhal S, Alomran A, .... (2021). Cost data visualisation
- Rahman M, Liu H, Rahimi M, Carcel CR, Kirkwood L, .... (2021). Investigating Precision and Accuracy of a Robotic Inspection and Repair System
- Rahimi M, Liu H, Rahman M, Ruiz Carcel C, Durazo-Cardenas I, .... (2021). Localisation and navigation framework for autonomous railway robotic inspection and repair system
- An D, Nourry J, Gharavian S, Thakur VK, Aria AI, .... (2020). Strain self-sensing tailoring in functionalised carbon nanotubes/epoxy nanocomposites in response to electrical resistance change measurement
- Durazo-Cardenas I, Starr A, Sousa R, Ferreira J, Mota A, .... (2018). Towards health monitoring of hybrid ceramic bearings in aircraft starter/generators
- Durazo-Cardenas I, Amaraegbeni C & Starr A. (2016). Fusion of railway network data streams for asset usage in intelligent maintenance systems
- Carlander L, Kirkwood L, Shehab E, Baguley P & Durazo-Cardenas I. (2016). Integration of cost-risk assessment of denial of service within an intelligent maintenance system
- Emmanouilidis C, Pistofidis P, Fournaris A, Bevilacqua M, Durazo-Cardenas I, .... (2016). Context-based and human-centred information fusion in diagnostics
- Turner CJ, Tiwari A, Starr AG, Durazo-Cardenas I & Blacktop K. (2015). An intelligent framework and prototype for autonomous maintenance planning in the rail industry
- Durazo-Cardenas I, Starr A, Turner C, Kirkwood L, Bevilacqua M, .... (2015). An Intelligent Maintenance System for the Rail: Integrating Condition, Planning and Cost
- Bevilacqua M, Tsourdos A, Starr AG & Durazo-Cardenas I. (2015). Data fusion strategy for precise vehicle location for intelligent self-aware maintenance systems
- Durazo-Cardenas I, Starr A, Tsourdos A, Bevilacqua M & Morineau J. (2014). Precise Vehicle Location as a Fundamental Parameter for Intelligent Self-aware Rail-track Maintenance Systems
- Kirkwood L, Shehab E, Baguley P, Amorim-Melo P & Durazo-Cardenas I. (2014). Challenges in cost analysis of innovative maintenance of distributed high-value assets
- Marson S, Villa R, Cardenas-Durazo I, Evans RW, Storti A, .... (2013). Sinusoidal CVD diamond micro-tools for the manufacture of microstructured surfaces used in bioremediation
- McLaughlin P & Durazo-Cardenas I. (2013). Cellular manufacturing applications in MRO operations
- Pozzi M, Canziani A, Durazo-Cardenas I & Zhu M. (2012). Experimental characterisation of macro fibre composites and monolithic piezoelectric transducers for strain energy harvesting
- Durazo-Cardenas I, Villa R, Mason S, Evans R, Storti A, .... (2011). Micro-patterned biological interfaces manufactured by diamond turning with CVD diamond micro-tools
- Evans RW, Durazo-Cardenas IS & Allen DM. (2009). PCD tooling made by combined laser beam machining and focused ion beam machining
- Kirkwood L, Durazo-Cardenas I & Shore P. (2009). Tool failure mechanisms while single point diamond turning silicon
- Luo X, Shore P, Durazo-Cardenas IS, Heaume AM & Jacklin T. (2006). A new approach for measuring tool wear volume in single point diamond turning of silicon
- Durazo-Cardenas I, Luo X, Jacklin T, Impey SA & Shore P. (2005). Tool-life influence of diamond gems whilst diamond turning of silicon infrared optics
