Associate Professor of Structural Design at the University of Bologna since 2014.
He performs research in the field of earthquake and bridge engineering.
EDUCATION
1994: scientific high school leaving qualification, Liceo Scientifico A. Tassoni, Modena: 60/60.
2000: degree in Civil Engineering (“Structures” division), University of Bologna. Dissertation title: “Un approccio semplificato per l'analisi dei problemi torsionali negli edifici isolati sismicamente alla base con modellazione bilineare degli isolatori”: 100/100 cum laude.
2001-2004: Ph.D. in “Structural Mechanics” (XVI° course), Department DISTART, University of Bologna. Dissertation title: “Optimal insertion of viscous dampers in shear-type structures for maximum efficiency in mitigation of the seismic effects: the mass proportional damping (MPD) system”.
2004-2006: recipient of a Post-Doctoral Grant, University of Bologna. Project: "Use of viscous dampers for improving the seismic behaviour of existing r.c. buildings", supervised by Prof. Claudio Ceccoli and Prof. Tomaso Trombetti.
ACADEMIC CAREER
2007: Researcher (Assistant Professor) since 01/10/2007, Department DISTART, Tecnica delle Costruzioni (Structural Design), University of Bologna.
2011: Confirmation in the role of Researcher at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Bologna.
2013: National Scientific Qualification for Associate Professors in the 08/B3 division "Tecnica delle Costruzioni".
2014: Associate Professor since 15/09/2014, Department DICAM, Tecnica delle Costruzioni (Structural Design), University of Bologna.
2018: National Scientific Qualification for Full Professors in the 08/B3 division "Tecnica delle Costruzioni".
INSTITUTIONAL ACTIVITIES AND ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
Since 2010: UNIBO coordinator (responsible for the exchange) of the ERASMUS Bilateral Agreement n. 38793 between the University of Bologna and the University of Alicante (Spain).
2013-2022: member of the Quality Assurance Committee for the Environmental Engineering Courses.
Since 2015: member of the Research Committee of Department DICAM.
Since March 2017: member of the Scientific Committee of the interdisciplinary Ph.D. Course in "Engineering and Information Technology for Structural and Environmental Monitoring and Risk Management - EIT4SEMM" (originally, "Structural and Environmental Health Monitoring and Management - SEHM2") at the University of Bologna.
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
Since 2007, continuous teaching activities holding various course units in 1st and 2nd cycle degree programmes at the School of Engineering and Architecture.
Currently, he holds the chairs of:
• "Bridges design" in the Civil Engineering two-years Italian Master course
• "Advanced Design of Structures" (Module 2: steel, composite and prestressed concrete structures) in the Civil Engineering two-years International Master course
• "Elements of Structural Design" in the Environmental Engineering three-years bachelor course
• "Structural Engineering and Design" in the Building Engineering two-years Master course
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
1. Use of viscous dampers for the mitigation of the seismic action upon structures.
2. Torsional phenomena in building structures characterized by eccentricity in plan between the centre of mass and the centre of stiffness.
3. Development of “Crescent-Shaped Braces” capable of satisfying multiple seismic design objectives in the Performance-Based Seismic Design framework (analytical and numerical studies, quasi-static experimental tests).
4. Seismic response of silos: analytical developments and design, carrying out and interpretation of experimental shaking table tests ("SEismic Response of Actual steel SILOS ‐ SERA‐SILOS" European Project, SERA call, 2018-2019).
5. Experimental research, analytical developments and analytical/experimental correlation study on the cyclic behaviour of structures composed of lightly reinforced concrete walls.
6. Probabilistic and deterministic seismic hazard analyses (analytical and numerical studies).
7. Methodologies for the probabilistic identification of reference design earthquake inputs for non-linear dynamic analyses in the Performance Based Seismic Design framework (analytical and numerical studies).
8. Design, carrying out and interpretation of experimental shaking table tests on a 3-storey full-scale building, realized with a structural system composed of squat r.c. sandwich panels at the EUCENTRE lab of Pavia (SERIES project, European FP7 program).
9. Assessment of the structural safety, seismic analyses and interpretation of the monitoring data of historical monumental buildings, with specific reference to the Cathedral of Modena and the 2 Towers of Bologna.
10. Pseudo-static and shaking-table experimental tests on scaled cross-vault models as subjected to in-plane shear deformation ("SEeismic BEhavior of Scaled MOdels of groin VAults made by 3D printers - SEBESMOVA3D" European Project, SERA call, 2018-2019).
11. Earthquake-resistant constructions in developing countries: study of the seismic behavior of gabion-box wall buildings, "bhatar" buildings and rubble-stone masonry buildings.
12. Structural monitoring of historic monumental buildings and existing bridges.
13. Structural assessment of bridges, with particular reference to the monitoring of prestressed reinforced concrete bridges and the definition of mechanical models for the estimation of the residual strength of corroded strands.
PUBLICATIONS
More than 250 scientific papers, 50 of them on peer-reviewed international journals (on both ISI-WEB OF SCIENCE and SCOPUS).
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Since 2013: Member of the Evaluation Board (Agricultural Field MO-RE) to support the Officer in Charge of distributing the contributions to the agricultural activities in the Modena and Reggio Emilia provinces, after the seismic events of 20 and 29 may 2012. (Regional Decree n. 5 del 30/01/2013 of the Head of Emilia Romagna Region).
