Prof. Fulvio Parisi | Research Topics

I work on how structural engineering, probabilistic simulation, innovative materials and digital technologies can support major societal challenges, particularly disaster risk mitigation, community resilience and sustainable development under natural hazards (e.g., earthquakes, landslides, floods), anthropic hazards (e.g., blast, fire, impact, tunnelling/soil excavation, traffic (over)loading) and NaTech hazards (e.g., fire/blast after earthquake/landslide/impact).

Structural design, assessment and health monitoring of buildings and bridges

• Earthen structures
• Masonry structures
• Reinforced concrete structures
• Prestressed concrete structures
• Hybrid structures

Structural retrofitting with sustainable systems and composite materials

• Fibre-reinforced polymers (FRPs)
• Fabric-reinforced cemetitious matrix (FRCM) systems, or also known textile-reinforced matrix (TRM) systems or inorganic matrix-grid (IMG) systems
• Composite reinforced mortars (CRMs)

Nonlinear structural response analysis and numerical modelling

• Finite element modelling (FEM)
• Equivalent frame modelling (EFM) of earthen, masonry and hybrid structures
• Discrete element modelling (DEM)
• Applied element modelling (AEM)

Damage assessment and forensic engineering analysis

• Pre- and post-disaster damage assessment at multiple spatial scales (site-specific, multi-site, regional)
• Forensic analysis of civil engineering facilities after structural failures or collapse
• Structural analysis and impact assessment under human errors in design, construction, usage or maintenance

Structural robustness and progressive collapse simulation under single and multiple hazards

• Risk-based optimal design of structures against disproportionate collapse
• Quantitative methods for structural robustness assessment
• Progressive collapse simulation through high-fidelity methods for structural response analysis under large deformations
• Structural retrofitting under multiple hazards (e.g., interaction between robustness and earthquake resistance)

Multi-hazard disaster risk and resilience of civil infrastructure

• Taxonomy studies for vulnerability and exposure modelling
• Vulnerability assessment and modelling of structures and infrastructure systems, including their interaction with the natural environment (e.g., soil-structure interaction) and deterioration phenomena (e.g., steel corrosion and concrete degradation)
• Quantitative assessment of social and/or economic consequences of natural hazards (e.g., earthquakes, floods, landslides)
• Disaster resilience analysis through complex networks
• Risk-informed design of civil infrastructure (e.g., buildings, roadway bridges, gas supply networks, onshore/offshore wind turbines)
• Multi-hazard index-based risk assessment of civil infrastructure (e.g., building/bridge portfolios) for prioritisation of inspections and risk mitigation actions
• Condition-based and dynamic vulnerability assessments for predictive maintenance and residual service life prediction