Damage and deterioration
Structural response is investigated in relation to corrosion and ageing, seismic actions, hydraulic scour, changes in support conditions and progressive loss of structural capacity.
Research
Structural safety through modelling, measurement and uncertainty analysis
My research lies within Structural Engineering, with particular emphasis on the safety, reliability and dynamic behaviour of buildings and infrastructure.
The common methodological framework combines advanced structural modelling, probabilistic simulation, experimental investigation and the interpretation of measured structural response.
IMAGE PLACEHOLDERimages/research-hero.jpg
01 · Research area
Probabilistic Structural Reliability and Risk
The research focuses on advanced probabilistic frameworks for the assessment of structural reliability and risk under extreme and uncertain actions.
Particular attention is devoted to the efficient estimation of low failure probabilities and to the propagation of uncertainties associated with seismic hazard, structural models, degradation processes and demand models.
Main topics
- Monte Carlo and advanced simulation methods
- Subset Simulation and Markov Chain Monte Carlo
- stochastic earthquake modelling
- seismic reliability and risk assessment
- intensity-measure-based and unconditional risk frameworks
- time-dependent reliability and multi-hazard risk
- uncertainty quantification
IMAGE PLACEHOLDERimages/research-reliability.jpg
02 · Research area
Seismic Protection and Structural Dynamics
This research line investigates the safety and reliability of structures equipped with passive seismic protection systems, including fluid viscous dampers, base isolation systems and innovative retrofit solutions.
Numerical and probabilistic analyses are integrated with experimental investigation to quantify the influence of device properties, design choices and failure mechanisms on structural performance.
- seismic isolation and energy dissipation
- uncertainty in device properties
- reliability-based assessment
- nonlinear dynamic analysis
- full-scale structural testing
- experimental dynamic response interpretation
Experimental activity
Full-scale push-and-release tests on the hybrid base-isolated UNICAM Research Centre provided an opportunity to analyse the dynamic response of an isolated building under large imposed displacements and to compare experimental observations with advanced numerical models.
IMAGE PLACEHOLDERimages/research-seismic-protection.jpg
03 · Research area
Seismic Safety of Steel Structures
The research addresses the seismic vulnerability and reliability of steel buildings, with particular attention to nonlinear structural response, instability phenomena, modelling uncertainty and the interaction between structural and non-structural components.
- nonlinear modelling in OpenSees
- seismic fragility and collapse-risk assessment
- Multiple-Stripe Analysis
- brace instability and connection deformability
- non-structural cladding response
- code-consistent safety assessment
- next-generation Eurocode 8
IMAGE PLACEHOLDERimages/research-steel.jpg
04 · Research area
Bridge Engineering and Structural Monitoring
A central research area concerns the safety, reliability and monitoring of existing bridges, including prestressed concrete, reinforced concrete, masonry arch and steel–concrete composite bridges.
The research combines structural modelling with information obtained from field measurements and monitoring systems, with the objective of identifying response quantities that are sensitive to damage and can support structural assessment and maintenance decisions.
Dynamic response interpretation
Advanced signal-processing procedures are developed for the analysis of non-stationary and nonlinear structural responses, including methodologies based on the Hilbert–Huang Transform and operational dynamic identification. Traffic-induced response is investigated as a potential source of information for continuous or repeated assessment of bridge behaviour.
Multi-sensor structural monitoring
- accelerometer-based dynamic monitoring
- time-frequency analysis and operational modal analysis
- image-based and vision-based measurements
- heterogeneous sensor-data interpretation
- anomaly detection and uncertainty-aware monitoring
- monitoring-based decision support
IMAGE PLACEHOLDERimages/research-bridges.jpg
Experimental validation
Laboratory free-vibration release tests on reinforced-concrete beams have been used to investigate the capability of HHT-based procedures to detect short-lived variations in dynamic response associated with local cracking phenomena.
Midspan displacement was measured through a contactless camera-and-marker system, providing a controlled environment for methodological validation.
Monitoring-oriented application
Masonry arch bridges and hydraulic scour
A related research activity investigates masonry arch bridges subjected to progressive foundation scour. Advanced numerical simulations are used to identify structural damage mechanisms and measurable response quantities potentially suitable for monitoring and early warning.
The focus is not only on collapse prediction, but on understanding which kinematic and dynamic quantities can provide useful information before advanced damage becomes visually evident.
IMAGE PLACEHOLDERimages/research-scour.jpg
05 · Research area
Non-Structural Seismic Protection
Research activities have addressed the transformation of furniture and non-structural building components into passive safety systems capable of reducing risk to occupants during earthquakes.
The work combines numerical design, dissipative materials, experimental validation and technology transfer.
- earthquake-resistant glass–aluminium partition walls
- high-damping rubber devices
- shake-table testing
- life-saving furniture systems
- dissipative furniture supports
- patented seismic-protection solutions
IMAGE PLACEHOLDERimages/research-nonstructural.jpg
06 · Research area
Innovative Hybrid Steel–Concrete Systems
Research on innovative steel–concrete seismic-resistant systems has focused on hybrid coupled walls incorporating replaceable dissipative components and controlled damage mechanisms.
The work includes conceptual development, nonlinear numerical simulation, probabilistic assessment and experimental validation at different scales.
- hybrid steel–concrete walls
- replaceable corner components
- nonlinear static and dynamic analysis
- seismic reliability
- behaviour-factor calibration
- cyclic and pseudo-dynamic testing
- full-scale experimental validation
IMAGE PLACEHOLDERimages/research-hybrid.jpg