Young Teachers Historic masonry Summer School Segovia 2023

HISTORIC MASONRY STRUCTURES

Masonry_Structures_School_2020_Anagni-lo

YOUNG TEACHERS

Antonino Iannuzzo

Tenured Assistant Professor

Tenured Assistant Professor at University of Sannio

Antonino Iannuzzo is an Assistant Professor in Structural Mechanics at the University of Sannio and Rita Levi Montalcini fellow. His research involves the kinematics and statics of 3D unilateral structures through new optimisation strategies, form-finding of compressed shells, and the dynamics of rigid blocks. He obtained his degree in structural engineering from the University of Naples Federico II, where he completed his PhD in 2017. His dissertation proposes an innovative approach to modelling fractures on masonry structures introducing the PRD and CDF methods as new numerical energy-based strategies. In 2018, he joined the P.LIN.I.V.S. Study Centre, focusing on the large-scale seismic assessments of masonry buildings. From late 2018 to March 2022, Antonino worked as a Post-Doctoral Researcher at ETH Zurich with the Block Research Group, where he guided the research of three PhD students as part of the SNSF-funded project "Practical assessment strategies for vaulted unreinforced masonry structures." This project also encompassed the development of COMPAS Masonry. In the latter part of 2022, he served as a Senior Lecturer at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia. In recognition of his research and career achievements abroad, Antonino was awarded the prestigious Rita Levi Montalcini Fellowship by the Italian Ministry of University and Research in late 2022.

Marialuigia Sangirardi

Research Associate at University of Oxford

Marilù is a Research Associate at the Department of Engineering Science of the University of Oxford where she's working on the development of new advanced and non-invasive in situ testing methods for historic masonry. She received her PhD in Structural Engineering in 2016 from the Technical University of Bari and the University of Minho, where she spent a visiting period as part of the ISISE Historic Masonry Group lead by Professor P.B. Lourenço. She has been working as scientific consultant in international research projects and as research fellow in Bari, Pavia and Rome, in the Research Group coordinated by Gianmarco de Felice. Her research interests include constitutive modelling of masonry, computer vision based monitoring strategies, numerical simulations of various boundary value problems, under static and dynamic conditions, with particular emphasis on historical constructions, low-impact retrofitting techniques and soil-structure interaction. She serves as reviewer for several international journals in preservation, structural engineering, and mechanics.

Research Associate

Andrea Montanino

Lecturer

Lecturer at University of Naples "Federico II"

Andrea Montanino is Lecturer at the University of Naples “Federico II”. He obtained his PhD in Computational Mechanics and Advanced Materials from the University of Pavia in 2015. His thesis was awarded as the Best PhD thesis in Computational Mechanics of Fluids by the Italian Group of Computational Mechanics. Since then, his research has focused on different applications of computational mechanics, including fluid-dynamics, biomechanics and computational methods for masonry structures. From 2015 to 2018 he joined as a Post-Doctoral Researcher, the Research Group of Anna Pandolfi at the “Politecnico of Milano” working on various projects on the Biomechanics of the Eye. He is coauthor of about 35 publications on peer-reviewed international journals.

Carlo Olivieri

Research Associate at Università di Salerno

PhD in Structural Engineering at the University of Salerno, where he is currently a Research Associate, after his graduation, Carlo has worked as Structural Engineer and Assistant Project Manager for an International General Contractor, being involved in relevant international projects. Since 2018, during his PhD work at UniSA, he developed new strategies for the assessment and form-finding of complex curved structures using the membrane theory and an extension of the classical Thrust Line method to special structures called Linear Arch Static Analysis. His research is currently directed towards new optimization strategies for purely compressive shapes subjected to seismic actions and new strategies for using low-carbon material blocks to construct these structures. As co-founder partner of KEIKO Cultural Association, he has organized and participated, first as a student and then as a Teaching Assistant, at the International Summer School on Historic Masonry Structures since 2018. In 2022 he joined the Research Group of Sigrid Adriaenssens at Princeton. With them he is involved in the design and realization of an optimized tile vault at the Venice Biennale 2023.

Research Assistant

Pietro Meriggi

Lecturer

Lecturer at Università Roma Tre

Pietro Meriggi is an Assistant Professor and member of the Structures Research Group at the Department of Engineering of Roma Tre University. Born in 1992, he got his BSc in 2014, his MSc in 2017, and his PhD in Civil Engineering in 2021 at Roma Tre University. His scientific interests and expertise include laboratory and field testing of both traditional and innovative materials and of full-scale masonry structural members (subject to static and dynamic loads), analytical modelling of masonry structures and development of rules for the design of masonry constructions. From January to March 2020 he was visiting PhD Student at Navier Laboratory – IFSTTAR in Paris, where he started studying possible strengthening solutions for 3D printed digital concrete structures. Pietro has recently been involved in International Technical Committees, including the RILEM TC 250-CSM “Composites for sustainable strengthening of masonry” and the ACI 549 0L – RILEM TC 250 CSM Liaison Subcommittee “Design and Construction of Externally Bonded Fabric Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM) Systems for Repair and Strengthening Masonry Structures”. Since 2017 he is teaching assistant for the course of Earthquake Engineering at Roma Tre University.

Félix Rodriguez

Eduardo Torroja Institute for Construction Sciences

Félix is an Architect and research intern at the Eduardo Torroja Institute for Construction Sciences, belonging to the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).He got his bachelor´s degree in Architecture in 2021 and his Master of Architecture in 2023 at the Higher Technical School of Architecture of Madrid (ETSAM), where his undergraduate thesis project “San Fernando’s church. Structural and interventions analysis”, written under the supervision of Professor Santiago Huerta, was graded with honors. He is interested in the study of masonry structures using the static thrust line method and the analysis of potential problems derived from inappropriate interventions.

Architect

Fabian Bernal Orozco Barrera

Lecturer

Lecturer at National Autonomous University of Mexico

Fabian is an architect who specializes in masonry vaults and domes, using static thrust line techniques to assess the safety in ancient masonry buildings. He studied in the Nacional Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) through a master’s degree in Restoration with the thesis “Methodological proposal for the conservation of Vaults and Domes in view of earthquakes”. He did a research stay at the Polytechnic University of Madrid under Professor Santiago Huerta. Currently he is a structures professor at the Faculty of Architecture in UNAM, collaborating as an Independent researcher. He works as an active consultant on the assessment of Masonry Structures in Mexico for private and public entities since 2020. He has worked on restoration projects and retrofitting of masonry buildings. He has conducted the surveys of the case studies for the Summer School on Historic Masonry Structures 2021 also participating as teaching assistant.

Paolo Borin

Lecturer at University of Brescia

Paolo Borin is a Tenure-track Assistant Professor at at DICATAM - University of Brescia. He took a PhD at the Università IUAV di Venezia, with a thesis which explores the science and stereotomy of Guarino Guarini through digital and computational modeling techniques. He graduated in Architectural Engineering from University of Padua in 2011 with honors. From 2011 he has been exploring theory and practise of BIM and applying it to enhance the building process, particularly for existing buildings. His interests in research involve history of representation methods, application of advanced geometry for AEC industry (e.g., vaulting systems in heritage buildings, architectural façade systems, etc.), open format for BIM management, description of historic transformation with BIM.

Lecturer

Ada Amendola

Associate Professor

Associate Professor at Università di Salerno

Ada Amendola is an Associate Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno (UNISA), Italy. Amendola graduated with honors in Civil and Environmental Engineering at UNISA in March 2013 and obtained a PhD in Structural Engineering and Building and Urban Rehabilitation at UNISA in Feb. 2017. Her current research activity mainly concerns the study of wave propagation through the application of perturbation methods, as well as the demonstration and implementation of conditions for the existence of spatial networks of purely compressive forces, which support prescribed nodal forces and which satisfy assigned geometric obstacles. A. Amendola has held the role of visiting researcher at various US universities, including University of Colorado Boulder (Gen.-Feb. 2022), University of California San Diego (Aug- Oct. 2015), California Institute of Technology (Dec. 2008-Feb. 2009).

Anjo Weichbrodt

Research Assistant at ETH Zurich

Anjo Weichbrodt is a conservator for built heritage with experience in fieldwork and applied research. He is interested in understanding the behavior of historic building materials within the context of their historic structures. In addition to his freelance practice, Anjo works as a research assistant in the group of Physical Chemistry of Building Materials (PCBM) under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Robert Flatt. He is part of a research project that aims to deepen the understanding of the deterioration phenomena and differential deterioration rates of the molassic sandstone employed at Lausanne Cathedral by monitoring and modeling wind-driven rain and liquid water in the building fabric.

Research Assistant

Amal Gerges

PhD Student

PhD Student at Università di Cagliari

Amal Gerges, graduated with an Msc. In Civil Engineering, after which she worked on several rehabilitation projects and on the construction of reinforced concrete structures. She is currently a Ph.D. student at the University of Cagliari (UNICA). She has been involved in activities of tutoring and seminaries relevant to the courses of Dynamics of Structures and Seismic Engineering held by Maria Cristina Porcu to the students of the master’s degree in Civil Engineering of UNICA. The focus of her research is on the stability of masonry structures under static and dynamic loads. She completed a study period abroad at Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid (ETSAM), where, under the supervision of Prof. Santiago Huerta, investigated limit-analysis-based methods to predict the behavior of masonry structures. She is also currently involved in a research study, in collaboration with Prof. Juan Carlos Vielma of the Pontificia Universitad Catholica de Valparaiso (Chile), devoted to the improvement of the linear and non-linear dynamic analyses of new and existing buildings according to the Lebanese seismic code.

Vittorio Paris

Lecturer at Università di Bergamo

Vittorio Paris is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Bergamo. He received his PhD in 2020 under the supervision of Professor Attilio Pizzigoni. Vittorio’s research focuses on masonry self-balanced shells and their equilibrium during the construction, through which he aims to pave a way towards sustainable construction that is inspired by historical techniques. Under this aim, he has conducted extensive research on the unique and long lost masonry technique: the herringbone technique and the cross-herringbone masonry pattern to construct domes. He is also part of the Form Finding Lab at Princeton University since 2018. Here, he works with Prof. Sigrid Adriaenssens towards applying self-balancing techniques to a range of shells varying in form, scale and materials, and further in collaboration with new-age technologies of robotic construction.

Lecturer

Alessandro Dell'Endice

Post-Doctoral Researcher

Post-Doctoral Researcher at ETH Zurich

Alessandro is a chartered building engineer and architect. In 2013, he completed a Master's Degree in Building Engineering and Architecture at the Politecnico di Bari (Italy), with an experimental thesis on aluminium-concrete composite materials for free-form structures. From 2013 to 2015, he worked in Italy as a structural engineer and architect on various residential building projects. In 2016 he earned a Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in Architecture and Digital Fabrication at ETH Zurich, led by the Gramazio Kohler Research Group. In November 2016, he joined the Block Research Group (BRG) as an intern and then as a Research Assistant. In 2018, he started a PhD at BRG, focusing on developing computational tools for the structural assessment and design of unreinforced masonry structures using the Discrete Element Method, investigating the role of geometrical imperfections on their structural behaviour. In 2021, Alessandro took part as a structural designer and BRG project leader in the realisation of Striatus, an unreinforced masonry 3D-concrete-printed pedestrian bridge built in Venice. From August 2021, he was Visiting Researcher in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UC Berkeley for six months, hosted by Prof. Matthew J. DeJong, working on the mechanical behaviour of unreinforced masonry spiral staircases. Alessandro currently works at the BRG as a Post-Doctoral Researcher.