EDUCATION
2002 Laurea (M.S.), Magna Cum Laude, Civil Engineering, University of Bologna, Faculty of Engineering.
2003 - 2006 Ph.D. in Transportation Engineering, University of Bologna, Faculty of Engineering.
2006 - 2010 Research Assistant, University of Bologna, Faculty of Engineering.
2010 - 2020 Assistant Professor of "Roads, railways and airports", University of Bologna, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering (DICAM).
2020 Associate Professor of "Roads, railways and airports", University of Bologna, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering (DICAM).
SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITY
The scientific research of Valeria Vignali is mainly related to the field of the roads, railways and airports construction, and covers a variety of aspects as:
- Road Safety Analysis, road design consistency, road design and human factor interaction;
- Distinct Particle Elements modelling of bituminous mixtures and asphalt binders;
- Methodologies for fast surveying and analysis of damage phenomena in road and airport pavements;
- Reduction techniques for environmental impact of road and airport pavements.
Valeria Vignali has been awarded with the:
- Best Paper Award of the section "Road and Airport Infrastructures" of the 4th international SIIV congress (Palermo, 12- 14 September 2007), for the paper "Flexible pavement simulation with Distinct Particle Element Method";
- Best Paper Award of the section "Recycling and use of industrial by-products" of the seventh International Conference on Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Pavements and Technological Control (Auckland (New Zealand), 28 - 30 August 2012), for the paper "A new "Frugal" approach to road maintenance: 100% recycling of a deteriorated flexible pavement";
- Overall Best Paper Award of the seventh International Conference on Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Pavements and Technological Control" (Auckland (New Zealand), 28 - 30 August 2012), for the paper "A new "Frugal" approach to road maintenance: 100% recycling of a deteriorated flexible pavement";
- Best Paper in Sustainability Award of the International Conference "TIS Roma 2024" (Roma, 19 - 20 September 2024), for the paper "Citizen-science approach for an environmental analysis: the case study of university cyclists in Bologna".
Valeria Vignali is involved in the reviewing activities for International journals with IF and in Scientific Committees of National and International Congresses and Conferences.
Among the journal:
Advances in civil engineering journal; Applied science; Coatings; Construction & Building Materials; Current psychology; International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion; International Journal of Pavement Engineering; Journal of Civil & Environmental Engineering; Journal of engineering and technology research; Journal of environmental research and public health; Journal of infrastructure systems; Journal of injury control and safety promotion; Materials; Materials and design; Modeling in materials and structures; Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures; Powder Technology; Safety Science; Sustainability; Transport (ICE); Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour.
Among the congress:
- IV International SIIV Congress “Advances in Transport Infrastructures and Stakeholders Expectations” (Palermo, 12-14 September 2007);
- V International SIIV Congress “Sustainability of Road Infrastructures” (Roma, 29-31 October 2012);
- International Symposium on Design and Practice of Geosynthetic - Reinforced Soil Structures (Joint Sessions with 26th Italian National Conference on Geosynthetics)"(Bologna, 14-16 October 2013);
- 3rd International Conference on Transportation Infrastructures - ICTI 2014 (Pisa, 22-25 April 2014).
- AIIT International Congress on Transport Infrastructure and Systems - TIS 2019 (Roma, 23-24 September 2019).
- AIIT International Congress on Transport Infrastructure and Systems (TIS 2022)” (Roma, 15-16 settembre 2022).
- C@MI - Course @ LIA NextRIM for Mobility and Infrastructure (Paris, 24-27 June 2024).
- AIIT International Congress on Transport Infrastructure and Systems (TIS 2024) (Roma, 19-20 settembre 2024).
- 11th European Asphalt Technology Association (EATA) Conference (Ancona, 10-12 June 2025).
Valeria Vignali is ordinary member of many Scientific Societies:
- Since 2003: ordinary Member of the Italian Society of Transportation Infrastructures (SIIV).
- Since 2013: ordinary Member of the Committee CT 2.2 "Improvement of urban mobility" of the World Road Association (AIPCR).
- Since 2016: ordinary Member of the Italian Association for the transportation and traffic engineering (AIIT). Since 2023: president of the Emilia Romagna and Marche Section. Since 2026: member of the board of directors.
Valeria Vignali actively operates to the works of Department Committees:
- Since 2010: ordinary Member of the Research Committee of the Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering (DICAM).
- 2015-2020: ordinary Member of the Board of the Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering (DICAM).
- Since 2017: ordinary Member of the Civil Engineering Erasmus Commission of the Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering (DICAM).
- 2018-2020: ordinary Member of the Academic Board of the PhD in Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering (Coordinator: Luca Vittuari).
- Since 2020:ordinary Member of the Academic Board of the PhD in Health, Safety and Green Systems (Coordinator: Patrizia Tassinari).
Valeria Vignali is the Head of the PITLab – Performance of Innovative Mobility Test Laboratory, a Joint Research Laboratory between the University of Bologna and Formula Imola S.p.A.
TEACHING ACTIVITY
Valeria Vignali is in charge of the course of "Railways constructions M" (6 CFU) for the 2nd cycle degree programme in Civil Engineering of the University of Bologna.
Valeria Vignali is in charge of the course of "Airport constructions M" (6 CFU) for the 2nd cycle degree programme in Civil Engineering of the University of Bologna.
Valeria Vignali is in charge of the course of "Urban Infrastructures T" (8 CFU) for the 2nd cycle degree programme in Architecture and Building Engineering of the University of Bologna.
She was and is also supervisor of more than 150 master and degree theses.
She was also the advisor and co-advisor of several theses in various PhD programs:
PhD in “Civil, Environmental, and Materials Engineering”:
Tutor:
- Federico Cuppi - Development of railway signaling systems to increase line and node capacity (cycle XXXIV).
- Roberto Battistini - Comprehensive pattern for sustainable mobility transition in a middle-sized urban context: ongoing dynamic equilibria between new demand scenarios and related adaptive offer solutions addressed to improve life quality and urban wellness (cycle XXXV).
- Marco Bruno - Design and safety evaluation of connected and smart infrastructures through the study of the interaction between road, driver, and vehicle (cycle XXXVIII).
Co-tutor:
- Giulia Manganelli - Numerical and experimental study of aggregate mixes for asphalt concrete (cycle XXV).
- Riccardo Lamperti - Study of maintenance techniques for road infrastructure (cycle XXVIII).
- Arianna Bichicchi - Analysis of road-driver interaction using innovative technologies (cycle XXXI).
- Margherita Pazzini - Alternative technologies for goods and passenger exchange nodes (cycle XXXV).
- Ennia Acerra - Study of road, vehicle, and driver interaction for connected and autonomous mobility (cycle XXXV).
- Isabella Giovanetti - Impact evaluations of urban spaces regeneration and infrastructure transformations on the territory (cycle XXXX).
PhD in "Health, Safety, and Green Systems":
Tutor:
- Luca Cotignoli - Performance analysis of reused and recycled materials in transport infrastructure (cycle XXXVII).
- Claudia Brasile - Analysis of road, vehicle, and user interaction using innovative technologies (cycle XXXVIII).
- Sham Mirou - Analysis of infrastructure and user interaction using innovative methods for connected vehicles equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) (cycle XXXX).
- Giulia Mantovani - Planning and design of airport infrastructure aimed at developing airport sustainability (cycle XXXXI).
Co-tutor:
- Serena Gianmarino - Analysis of new CAV solutions and technologies for the development of smart roads (cycle XXXXI).
- Alex Lando - Technology-Integrated pathways for enhanced neurorehabilitation outcomes (cycle XXXX).
PhD in "Automotive for Intelligent Mobility":
Tutor:
Sofia Palese - Smart mobility for a zero-emission society (cycle XXXIX).
Co-tutor:
- Alessandro Nalin - Analysis and application of big data for transport sustainability (cycle XXXVII).
- Riccardo Ceriani - Study of road infrastructure in relation to the adoption of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV) (cycle XXXIX).
