Staff: Prof. Luigi Ferranti, Prof. David Iacopini, Prof. Stefano Tavani, Prof. Stefano Vitale, Dr. Giovanni Camanni

Postgrads: Camilla Marino, Jacopo Natale

 

The main research areas of the research group are:

1)   Global and Regional Tectonics

2)   Structural Geology and Tectonophysics

3)   Volcano-tectonics and earthquake geology

 

A fundamental aspect of our research is a multi-disciplinary approach that integrates our expertise with different disciplines including stratigraphy, sedimentology, petrology, geochronology, geomorphology, geodesy, seismicity and marine geophysics. Within the three broad research areas, we are currently focused on investigating the following topics:

 

1) Global and Regional Tectonics

●     Structural and kinematic evolution of fold-and-thrust belts (collaboration with University of Benevento; University of Catania; University of Potenza; University of Barcelona; CSIC)

●     Tectonics of rift margins and strike-slip zones (collaboration with Aberdeen University; Dalhousie University, Louisiana State University; Edinburgh University; China University of Geosciences; Western Washington University)

●     Planetary Tectonics (collaboration with INAF-IAPS, Rome; University of Padua; The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK)

 

2) Structural Geology and Tectonophysics

●     Fault zone structure, evolution, and petrography (collaboration with University College Dublin; University of Chieti; INGV-Rome)

●     Imaging of subsurface damage structure and their seismic expression (collaboration with University of Aberdeen; University of Stavanger; University of Bergen)

 

3) Volcano-tectonics and earthquake geology

●     Volcano-tectonic evolution of the Campanian volcanoes (collaboration with CNR-IAMC, Naples, INGV-Vesuvian Observatory, Naples; INGV-Pisa; University of Bremen; Kapodistrian University, Athens).

●     Parametrization of active faults

●     Paleoseismology

 

 

Researchers: Giacomo Russo

Main research topics:

Soil improvement

• Experimental analysis on physical and mechanical improvement induced by addition of binders (lime, cement) to natural compacted unsaturated soils

• Chemo-physical evolution and micrstructural modifications induced by addition of binders (lime, cement)

• Soil treatment by use of innovative binders (e.g. alkaline-activated binders)

• Microstructural features, physical properties and hydro-mechanical behaviour of lightweight cemented soils

• Durability of treated soils under different environmental loads (e.g. wetting and drying cycles)

Behavior of large geotechnical works from monitoring data

Behaviour of large geotechnical works (earth retaining structures, excavations, foundations, dams, tunnels) from monitoring data, with reference to construction phase, operating conditions, behaviour in seismic conditions.

Case studies:

• behaviour of shallow tunnels during construction
• behaviour of excavations in urban areas during construction
• behaviour of an earth dam during construction
• behaviour of a rockfill dam with impervious bituminous layer during the first impoundment (static stress-strain behaviour, flow analysis, seismic behaviour)

- Subsidence of large areas by numerical modelling

Statistical methods in Geotechnical Engineering

- Spatial variability of geotechnical properties by geostatistical methods

- Statistical control of earthworks construction

• Reliability of the subsoil geotechnical model