Sep 16, 2025

Patented Next-Generation Laser Device Redefines Soil Testing

In the race toward smarter and more sustainable construction, a thorough understanding of soil properties is paramount. Inadequate soil assessment can jeopardize the stability, safety, and longevity of any structure. The risks are even greater in coastal regions, where sodium chloride from seawater accelerates the corrosion of steel reinforcements within foundations, undermining structural integrity. These challenges highlight why soil testing is not just a preliminary step, but one of the most critical processes in ensuring resilient, durable, and future-ready construction. Now, a multidisciplinary team of researchers at KFUPM has developed a first-of-its-kind portable device that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and laser technology to analyze soil in real time. Created through a collaboration between KFUPM’s Interdisciplinary Research Center for Construction and Building Materials (IRC-CBM), the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, and the Physics Department, the device has already secured a U.S. patent, reinforcing KFUPM’s position among the top five universities worldwide in U.S. patent rankings.

The system combines laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) with advanced machine learning algorithms trained extensively on previously measured lab data. A laser pulse generates a brief plasma burst on the soil surface, and the emitted light is captured through a telescope for analysis. From this signal, the AI model predicts key soil properties, including unconfined compressive strength, bulk density, and moisture levels, with 99% accuracy. These parameters are critical for assessing soil bearing capacity, settlement potential, and compaction quality, and these are vital not only for ensuring building stability but also for determining whether soil quality meets the standards required for construction.

Unlike conventional soil testing, which relies on sending samples to specialized laboratories for lengthy and costly analysis, the new method delivers results in just 5–10 minutes. By comparison, traditional ICP plasma methods can take up to 15 days. Engineers can now conduct in-situ and field testing without transporting samples, while minimal preparation requirements further facilitate the process. Remote sensing capabilities also allow the laser beam to travel across kilometers, expanding the device’s potential for large-scale surveys and hard-to-reach sites.

The device’s efficiency carries a major economic advantage as well. Its cost-effectiveness makes it more accessible than traditional testing approaches that depend on expensive instruments and highly specialized facilities. By speeding up assessments and reducing expenses, this technology stands to accelerate project timelines, improve geotechnical decision-making, enhance risk reduction in geotechnical design, and provide reliable on-site control for geotechnical infrastructure construction work. In addition, the device’s ability to rapidly monitor changes in soil density and moisture makes it valuable for slope stability assessment and erosion monitoring in vulnerable areas.

The research team, led by Distinguished Professor Muhammad A. Gondal, includes Prof. Omar Al-Amoudi, Prof. Mohammed A. Al-Osta, Dr. Yakubu Sani Wudil, and Mr. Osama Al-Najjar. Their hard work over the past three years has led them to this innovative device that has the potential to impact not only the construction industry but also fields such as geology, agriculture, and environmental monitoring. However, for the team, this marks only the beginning, as they plan to contribute further to Saudi Arabia’s broader vision for technology-driven infrastructure and smart solutions across construction and other vital sectors.