Mechanical Engineering | Physics |

Preservation Of The Architectural

Heritage | spatial planning and urban
development | Structural, Seismic
And Geotechnical Engineering | Urban
Planning, Design And Policy | Aerospace
Engineering | architectural composition
| Architecture, Built Environment And
Construction Engineering | architecture,
urban design, conservation of housing
and landscape | Architectural, Urban
And Interior Design | Bioengineering |
Design | Electrical Engineering | Energy
And Nuclear Science And Technology
| Environmental And Infrastructure
Engineering | Industrial Chemistry And
Chemical Engineering | Information
Technology | Interior Architecture and
Exhibition Design | Management Engineering
| Materials Engineering | Mathematical
Models And Methods In Engineering
PhD Yearbook | 2018
 Candidates are offered a variety of advanced

PhD Yearbook | 2018

courses on different topics, including mechanics of In order to widen and improve their research
Doctoral Program soils, materials and structures; computational and experience, PhD Candidates are strongly encouraged
experimental methods; structural dynamics and to spend a period abroad in one of the many
in Structural Seismic earthquake engineering. Universities and research centers related to the
The study plan includes courses and seminars given Politecnico di Milano.
and Geotechnical by scientists, experts and researchers active either at At the same time, the PhD School supports foreign
the Politecnico di Milano or in other Italian and foreign scholars to give short courses and seminars in Milan,
Engineering Universities, research institutions and high-tech so that our PhD Candidates can constantly benefit 715
companies. from the opportunity to interact with the international

Structural Seismic and Geotechnical Engineering

During their studies, PhD Candidates should develop scientific community.
their own original research work, coherent with the
Chair: Objectives of the Doctoral Program main disciplines dealt with in the Doctoral program,
Prof. Roberto Paolucci Structural, Seismic and Geotechnical Engineering (SSGE) encompasses the which will be detailed in the PhD thesis.
disciplines and techniques that allow to understand, model and control the The thesis should clearly state the goals of the
behavior of: (a) structural materials (concrete, steel, masonry, composites, research work, explaining the relation with the state-
bio-materials and materials for micro-systems), (b) structural systems of-the-art, the methods and the original results
(from constructions to bio-mechanical systems and micro-systems), (c) obtained.
soils and (d) environment-structure interaction. The PhD research is developed under the guidance of
Deeply-rooted in the Civil Engineering, which is in itself highly inter- a supervisor.
disciplinary, SSGE focuses also on environmental actions, either external
(such as earthquake, vibrations, irradiation, wind and fire) or ensuing from
soil-structure interaction (such as those caused by retained-earth thrust,
landslides and water-table fluctuations). Due to their generality in materials
and structural modeling, the methods developed within the domain of TEACHER board
SSGE can be of great importance also in other technical-scientific fields,
whenever understanding and controlling mechanical aspects is necessary Raffaele Ardito Gabriele Della Vecchia Aldo Ghis
to guarantee design reliability and structural safety, as well as serviceability Patrick Bamonte Claudio di Prisco Pier Giorgio Malerba
and durability. Many are the themes arising in connection to SSGE:
Fabio Biondini Marco di Prisco Stefano Mariani
from tall buildings and bridges to industrial bio-mechanical and micro-
electromechanical systems; from off-shore structures and dams to the Gabriella Bolzon Roberto Fedele Luca Martinelli
rehabilitation of monumental buildings; from seismic design and structural Matteo Bruggi Roberto Felicetti Roberto Paolucci (Coordinator)
dynamics to slope stability, tunnel behavior and foundations, not to forget
the topics shared with some branches of the Industrial Engineering. Claudia Comi Liberato Ferrara Umberto Perego
Within this framework, the main goal of our Graduate School is to promote Alberto Corigliano Attilio Frangi Lorenza Petrini
the advancement of knowledge especially in the fields of: (a) innovation in
Dario Coronelli Elsa Garavaglia Luigi Zanzi
materials and structures; (b) building safety under highly-variable actions;
(c) stability of soils and surface/buried structures.
We pursue this goal by offering our PhD Candidates an advanced, advisory board
research-oriented background, based on both the pivotal role of Structural
Engineering and the multi-disciplinary nature of Seismic and Geotechnical Luigi Albert (SOIL Geotecnica, Milano) Guido Mazzà (ENEL-RSE)
Engineering. Carlo Beltrami (Lombardi Ingegneria, Milano) Paolo Negro (JRC, Ispra)

Roberto Borsari (Tetra Pak Packaging Solutions S.p.A.) Silvia Scuri (Artech srl, Milano)
Contents of the Doctoral Program
Attainment of a PhD in Structural, Seismic and Geotechnical Engineering Giovanni Canetta (CeAS, Milano) Maurizio Teora (Arup, Italia)
is conditional to: minimum three full-time years’ study and research
Stefano Cangiano (C.T.G. – Italcementi) Massimo Zambon (Techint, Milano)
activities; the development of a PhD thesis; the fulfillment of the minimum
requirements provided in terms of PhD level courses. Giovanna Gabetta (ENI, Milano)
 716

Integrated structural modelling and numerical models, starting from with simplified models. behaviour of the system.

PhD Yearbook | 2018

the previously created geometric The last part of the dissertation The models developed following
experimental observations in historic models. The importance of
developing complex numerical
considers limit analysis solutions
for historical masonry structures,
the procedure here proposed
give results that agree with the
masonry constructions models on a small and large scale
is demonstrated in different case
providing synthetic results, to
practical – engineering problems.
experimentally observed response
of the structural systems under
studies, by the type of phenomena The innovative aspect relies on study. This shows their validity
Grigor Angjeliu - Supervisor: Prof. Dario Coronelli
and structural response that can the integration of experimental for the interpretation of observed
Co-Supervisor: Prof. Giuliana Cardani be predicted. observations in analytical structural events and monitoring 717
a) small scale model; the case solutions. The approach was system data, as well as in the

Structural Seismic and Geotechnical Engineering

Within the scope of restoration A bi-directional connection generate complex parts of the study of the quadripartite vaults in developed through several study of structural intervention in
projects, structural models between structural models and system (i.e. nodal zones, vaults). the Cathedral of Milan is adopted. case studies. It is based on the restoration projects.
are used to better understand experimental observations is The data elaboration considers Starting from the developed correlation of in-situ measurement
the structural performance of needed. Here, the choice is made shape identification algorithms parametric modelling procedure (e.g. out-of-plumb, rotation,
historical masonry buildings, as to gather the most information implemented in Matlab, while the different discrete and continuum settlement) and observation
well as to design new restoration possible in order to setup a model parametric model is implemented models are developed. The models that includes elements failure
interventions. and to calibrate this in relation to in IronPython programming. include the tas-de-charge, arch (iron ties), experimental force
The simulation of the structural its performance in reproducing the The model is finalised for use and rib (considered through many measurement on the iron ties
response in historical buildings, phenomena observed in-situ. in a three-dimensional with voussoir-s with contact among and the onset of damage in
from a mechanical point of view, The first part of the thesis is solid elements, numerical finite them), web, rubble-fill, as well as masonry elements (described
is a complex problem. It includes focused on understanding and element analysis of the structural the contact interfaces between the by cracks and decay) with the
complex geometry of structural modelling the three-dimensional response. A discussion on the considered parts. In difference to created analytical models. In the
members, their connections, geometrical complexity of approximation is developed in the state of the art, the discrete proposed method, the unknown
mechanical properties resulting historical masonry buildings. An two case studies (the Cathedral models include interfaces, in quantities in the structural system
from the varying texture of innovative procedure was created of Milan and the Church of San critical locations where damage (e.g. the distribution of forces), are
masonry and additionally to develop a geometrical model Basssiano in Pizzighettone). The was observed physically. Complex obtained through observations
complicated by anisotropy due with a close relation to the real developed procedure, reduces damage phenomena (all observed and measurements in the system.
to present damage. Ageing, long building structure. The procedure the cost of developing complex in-situ) such as the detachment The selected solution within
history of construction, loads and includes: the acquisition of three-dimensional solid structural of the rib from the web or sliding the infinite possible solutions,
interventions, may be only partially geometry (photogrammetric models. of the rib stone units, were compatible with the observed
described or even unknown. measurements and observations), The second part of the thesis predicted through the models damage and deformation
Furthermore, the determination data elaboration and use of focuses on the development of with preassigned interfaces at of the system, gives a better
of material properties entails parametric procedures to detailed continuum and discrete critical locations, where damage is approximation of the actual
several uncertainties and presents observed experimentally.
practical testing problems. b) large scale model; the case of
Under these conditions, the nave of Milan Cathedral is
visual observations of cracks, adopted. Two large scale detailed
observation of the masonry models were developed, one
texture, measurements of considering a single bay and the
complex geometry, measurement other considering multiple bays
of the axial force in the iron ties of the nave. It was possible to
or the state of stress in masonry, evaluate the structural evolution
are important evidence for over a period of time, predict
approximating the real mechanical and interpret the measurements
state. Structural modelling of the axial force in the iron ties,
must take these evidence into providing interpretations about
consideration, here called the tie failures in different periods,
Fig. 2 Structural model of the ribbed masonry vault. a) Finite element mesh, b)
experimental observation. Fig. 1 - Plot of the vertical component of the stress due to self-weight where prediction is not possible Simulation of the collapse mechanism
 718

Optimal design of sensor networks for

PhD Yearbook | 2018

structural health monitoring

Giovanni Capellari - Supervisor: Prof. Stefano Mariani

Co-Supervisor: Prof. Eleni Chatzi 719

Structural Seismic and Geotechnical Engineering

The objective of the work benchmark problem, a clamped the presented framework allows multi-objective optimization. the effects of the parameters on
presented in this thesis is the square plate, and to a section of to take into account several The procedure is applied to the the measurements is quantified
development of techniques for the stiffened fuselage. experimental settings, i.e., sensor benchmark problem already through the conditional mutual
optimal design of sensor networks The second method here spatial configuration, number of considered for the deterministic information; the lack of sensitivity
for Structural Health Monitoring proposed is based on Bayesian sensors and measurement noise, approach, and on a large-scale of the measured quantities with
(SHM). Two methods are here experimental design: the optimal a comprehensive method to numerical application, i.e. the respect to each parameter is
proposed, a deterministic and a sensor placement is obtained by optimally design the SHM sensor Pirelli tower in Milan (see Figures measured through the mutual
stochastic one. maximizing the expected Shannon network is proposed. Moreover, 1, 2, 3). information. The effectiveness of
In the first one, the uncertainties information gain between the different sensor network designs Since the capability of any these indices is validated on a non-
associated with both the prior and the posterior probability can be compared, taking into monitoring system in estimating linear structural problem, i.e., an
measurements and the distributions of the parameters account both their cost and the mechanical parameters can be 8-storey shear-type building.
mechanical parameters to be to be estimated. In order to effectiveness, through a cost- prevented if the parameters result
estimated (e.g. stiffness, Young’s numerically solve the optimization benefit optimization approach, to be practically non-identifiable,
modulus or damage index) problem, the unbearable by adopting a Pareto frontier the use of information theory
are disregarded. The optimal computational cost of the based indices is proposed in
sensor placement is obtained employed Monte Carlo estimator order to measure the occurrence
by maximizing the sensitivity is greatly reduced by exploiting of two sources of practical non-
of the structural response with surrogate modeling techniques identifiability: the compensation of
respect to a variation of the based on Polynomial Chaos
mechanical properties to be Expansion (PCE), which allow to
estimated. In order to guarantee efficiently reproduce the input-
a low computational cost, even output relations of the physics-
for high numbers of problem based models. Two surrogate
unknowns (number of sensors), modeling strategies are introduced
a topology optimization scheme and compared: these are based
is adopted. Moreover, in order to either on the definition of a joint
account for the different length- input variable, which takes into
scales of the problem, i.e., the account both the parameters
dimensions of the structure, and the design variable, or on
of the damaged zones and of the combination of model order
the sensor boards, a multi- reduction methods, i.e., Principal
scale optimization approach is Component Analysis (PCA), and
introduced. The procedure allows PCE. In order to handle the noisy
to both reduce the computational objective function, the adoption
cost of the optimization problem of a stochastic optimization
and appropriately tune the spatial method, namely the Covariance Fig. 1 - Pirelli tower: case study
resolution of the solution. The Matrix Adaptation Evolutionary considered for the optimal design Fig. 2 - Pirelli tower: optimal sensor placement obtained Fig. 3 - Multi-objective optimization of the expected
of the structural health monitoring through the maximization of the expected Shannon Shannon information gain in terms of both the position,
strategy is applied both to a Strategy, is introduced. Since sensor network. information gain type and number of sensors.
 720

VIBRATION CONTROL VIA PERIODIC STRUCTURES

PhD Yearbook | 2018

FROM MICRO- TO MACRO-SCALE

Luca D’Alessandro
Supervisors: Prof. Alberto Corigliano, Prof. Raffele Ardito and Dr. Luca Daniel 721

Structural Seismic and Geotechnical Engineering

The study of wave propagation In this thesis periodic structures structures endowed with ultra-
along spatially periodic structures are studied for vibrations and wide complete bandgaps are
is of great interest in solid mechanical wave propagation designed and experimentally
state physics: one of the most control from micro to macro-scale tested, among which there is
interesting properties of these engineering problems. the most performing one in the
structures is the formation of Focus is given to theoretical literature.
bandgaps, i.e. portions of the (both analytical and numerical) The design strategy is described
frequency response for which an and experimental study of the and a brand new simple analytical
incident wave cannot propagate periodic structure properties, model is proposed, which is
through the structure. with particular attention to able to predict the 3D dynamical
This idea is used in several applications, to shorten the behaviour of these structures with
applications in the electromagnetic distance between the theoretical a 1D spring-mass chain.
domain, one example is the study of such structures and the The good points of these
optic fiber, and more recently actual implementation in practical structures are the ultra-wide
large interest has been devoted engineering problems. range of isolation in the frequency
to spatially periodic mechanical spectrum and the low dimension
structures, named phononic For this purpose, several studies of the unit cell, which is dozens
crystals. are conducted: wave propagation lower than the wavelength of the
control in micro-sensors, propagating vibration, enabling
Depending on dimensions and mechanical tunable filters and the practical use of such structures
materials of the periodic structure, low frequency ultra-wide 3D in actual problems.
applications for mechanical meta- mechanical filters with reference
materials range from earthquake to ground-borne vibration Combination of auxetic properties
protection (seismic metamaterials) reduction in civil engineering and frequency isolation is studied,
to noise isolation and thermal problems. leading to the design of a 3D
properties control. meta-material with tuning filtering
A brand new shape optimization properties, which is numerically,
In all these applications, is algorithm implementation based analytically and experimentally
undeniable that bandgap width is on Bidirectional Evolutionary studied.
a key factor to boost performances Structural Optimization is
and robustness, wider bandgap developed, implemented and The results described in this
means stronger attenuation numerically tested on a micro- thesis are collected in several
around gap central frequency. sensor application, showing to be conference papers, 4 international
Another important aspect is the faster in the optimization process publications and 2 patents.
dimension of the unit cell of the than other proposals in the
periodic structure, which should literature.
be comparable to the available
space in each field of application. Three-dimensional periodic
 722

Forward physics-based analysis of “source-to- are the principal means by which rigid structures (such as the nuclear approaches (based on empirical or

PhD Yearbook | 2018

the predictive capability of ground reactor buildings, conceived for semi-empirical methods), ANN2BB
site” seismic scenarios for strong ground motion motion simulation methods and safety issues and embedded in the should be able to preserve the
prediction and seismic vulnerability assessment their implementation was assessed first meters of soil down depth) ground motion coherency observed
(Chapter 3). The study on the effect requires broad-band synthetic at low-frequency. ANN2BB
of critical structures of heterogeneous and non-linear earthquake seismograms, to be represents a smart meta-modelling
soil deposits on the simulated used in a design stage. However, technique to effectively cope
Filippo Gatti
broad-band ground motion the limited spatial discretization with the lack of data, of suitable
Supervisors: Prof. D. Clouteau (Laboratoire MSSMat UMR CNRS 8579, coherency at the surface was of a typical computational grid models, of computational resources 723
CentraleSupélec); Prof. R. Paolucci (DICA, Politecnico di Milano); assessed. that a common supercomputer and, least but last, of a deeper
Prof. F. Lopez-Caballero (Laboratoire MSSMat UMR CNRS 8579, CentraleSupélec)

Structural Seismic and Geotechnical Engineering

In the following, the physics-based can handle nowadays limits the understanding of the earthquake
simulation of the KKNPP seismic resolution of of the simulated 3D phenomenon.
The French national project by the proposals of SINAPS@, the either (1) by pushing to the limit response during the Niigata-Ken wave motion, accurate to maximum
SINAPS@ (Earthquake and Nuclear forging idea of the PhD project was the accuracy of the deterministic Chūetsu-Oki earthquake was frequencies at around 5-10 Hz. This document can be seen as a
Facilities : Ensuring Safety and to analyze the different aspects computational models (i.e. ~ 7 Hz), tackled. The numerical model was Therefore, Chapter 4 describes seminal work, to be integrated
Sustaining), which entirely financed of the problem, from a holistic either (2) by coupling them with constructed starting from a simple a new procedure (ANN2BB) for in the very near future with
my PhD thesis (https://tel.archives- point of view, featured by an meta-modelling predictions, such as version, progressively updated. The the hybrid generation of broad- some fringe aspects, such as the
ouvertes.fr/tel-01626230), was uncertainty quantification. Owing the Artificial Neural Networks. main uncertainty I investigated was band synthetic time-histories. modelling of the dynamic rupture
conceived to gather the information to the multidisciplinarity of the The first strategy is intrinsically the effect of the geology on the This strategy bypass the hinder of large fault discontinuities, the
coming from the earthquake modelling problem, an innovative related to the appropriateness of simulated regional wave-field. The of burdensome computations, full coupling between regional-
engineering and the seismology hybrid approach was adopted, the earthquake rupture and of the simulation of two small aftershocks slightly deviating from the trending scale wave-propagation numerical
to integrate them into an omni- mixing high-fidelity physics- 3D geological models and rheology. steered the calibration of a hybrid way of improving the earthquake models and site-scale structural
comprehensive computational based simulation and machine- Therefore, given the multifaceted geological profile composed of (1) prediction at larger frequency analysis and the inclusion of
framework. The intent is to improve learning techniques applied to big nature of the earthquake a layered 1D geological structure, bands by simply constructing complex rheological models for the
common design practices of critical databases. phenomenon, the construction suitable to reproduce the low- more complicated and fancy Earth’s crust and soil deposits. All
structures (i.e. nuclear power of realistic seismic scenarios was frequency (0.0-0.5 Hz) regional models. However, ANN2BB bares those aspects are intended to be
plants) and revise the existent ones, The earthquake-induced ground performed by exploiting different wave-field and of (2) a refined 3D upon physics-based numerical integrated with sophisticated deep-
with an innovative physics-based shaking scenario was first computational tools. I participated folding model, capable to depict the simulations, by coupling the learning techniques, to increase
and source-to-structure slant. To investigated and understood by into the construction of a HPC spatial variability at KKNPP (up to latter with the outcome (i.e. the overall prediction on complex
this end, the chosen applicative analyzing the available seismic (High-Performance Computing) 7.0 Hz). The analysis unveiled the short-period pseudo-spectral earthquake scenarios, aiming at
case is the seismic response of the record database. To this end, multi-tool platform, whose main reason behind the great ground ordinates) of Artificial Neural refining seismic vulnerability and
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Chapter 2 present an extensive core is represented by a 3D motion incoherence recorded Networks, opportunely trained on risk assessment in large urban
Plant (KKNPP), during the 2007 review of the consistent (yet hollow) Spectral Element code to solve within relative short distances at the heterogeneous seismic databases. areas and for strategic structures.
Niigata-Ken Chūetsu-Oki (NCO). piece of information available the wave-propagation problem in nuclear site: the syncline-anticline This hybrid approach gravitates
The latter is a well documented on the site. A complete seismic viscous non-linear solid and fluid structure lying below the site caused around the need for realistic time-
seismic scenario, suitable for deep site-response classification was materials on massively parallel a wave-motion drift towards Unit histories, whose response spectrum
investigations on the near-field performed, to pave the way to supercomputers. The code is 1, where higher amplitude were is compatible to the recorded
conditions, non-linear site-effects complex physics-based analyses, featured by a highly scalable effectively noticed. This implies the observations. ANN2BB was applied
and structural analysis. Moreover, helping in understanding the random field generator to simulate need for an accurate investigation to some recent earthquakes, with
the site has been object of a phenomenon and constrain the Earth’s crust heterogeneity, along of the deep geological profiles (i.e. interesting results in terms of site-
previous numerical benchmark, numerical model. The analysis of with a high-performance 27-tree up to ∼ 5.0 km of depth) when specific estimated time-histories.
which highlighted some critical the seismic records highlighted based meshing tool to produce the critical and spatially extended It represents a very appealing
aspects of the site and structural the impulsive nature of the wave- numerical model representing structures are designed, other than alternative to fully deterministic
response. motion along with the non-linear Earth’s chunks, including the geomechanical characterization analyses, whenever the physical
In this work, I have explicitly focused behaviour of shallow soil deposits. topography and bathymetry. of shallower (i.e. up to ~ 500 m of mechanism lying behind the
on some crucial aspects of the The second major axe of my thesis In a common context of lack of depth) soil deposits, responsible of observed records are not easy to
physics-based modelling of the is the prediction of realistic yet inherent data, verification and non-linear site-effects. However, be modelled at a certain scale. With
NCO earthquake scenario. Inspired synthetic broad-band time-histories, validation against observations to study the transient dynamics of the respect to traditional hybrid
 724

EFFECTS OF THE SPATIAL VARIATION OF THE

PhD Yearbook | 2018

SEISMIC GROUND MOTION IN NEAR FIELD
CONDITIONS ON LONG BRIDGE STRUCTURES
Cristian Gianni - Supervisor: Prof. Lorenza Petrini
725
This work follows the line in Taiwan, Chiba in Tokyo and modelling;

Structural Seismic and Geotechnical Engineering

of research in earthquake USGS-Parkfield in California • The bay length;
engineering that deals with the amongst the others) gave new • The ductility level of piers;
response of lifeline structures, impulse to the research, which • The pier type.
namely bridges, to a spatially gradually has extended its efforts The structures are excited by
variable ground motion. Seismic to challenging applications, i.e. the three sets of spatially variable
structural analysis and design development of analytical tools ground motions derived from
practice is traditionally based on for the generation of spatially real records of the Parkfield
the assumption that structures variable ground motions and 2004 and San Simeon 2003
experience the same ground dealing with structural models of earthquakes available from the
shaking at all the supports. increasing complexity. Despite the UPSAR and the Turkey Flat Valley
This means that the amplitude, topic of the spatial variation of the arrays. The structural responses
phase and frequency content earthquake motion and its effects to the incoherent and to the fully
of the motion are identical at all on the structural response has coherent excitation are compared
the points of contact between stimulated the interest of a wide with the aim to contribute to the
the structure and the ground. number of researchers for over identification of the cases in which
However, the characteristics four decades, owing to the multi- the uniform excitation assumption
of the motion recorded at the parametric nature of the problem, becomes unsafe. Results show
supports may become significantly common conclusions have not that multiple-support excitation
different as the distance between been reached yet and several may increase the seismic demand
these points increases and/ questions remain unanswered. in terms of accelerations,
or the site conditions change. This research aims to provide a displacements, shear force and
This phenomenon is known as further contribution about the bending moment in the piers
spatial variability of the earthquake topic, extending the range of the of irregular bridges on average
ground motion (SVEGM) and case studies investigating very long up to 50% with respect to the
its detrimental effects on the structures, with length up to 1000 uniform excitation case. Finally,
response of structures, namely m. In particular, a parametric study the effectiveness of the simplified
lifelines, is nowadays well on the nonlinear response of a approaches of the Italian design
recognized, contributing to the series of long bridge structures code NTC08 and Eurocode 8-2
damage or collapse of several subjected to spatially variable in the prediction of the response
structures during past and recent ground motions is performed of the selected bridges under
earthquakes. In fact, SVEGM may emphasising the influence of the multiple-support excitation is
cause unpredictable seismic following aspects: assessed comparing the results
demand patterns in the structural • Medium- and long-length obtained by the application of
elements with respect to strength, bridges; their provisions with to those
ductility or displacements. • Irregular geometries in of the nonlinear time history
Recently, the data recorded and elevation; analyses.
collected in dense instrumented • The presence of bearings
seismic arrays worldwide (SMART1 devices in the structural
 726

Non-Linear Effects on the seismic response inconsistencies regarding the well documented and available limited number of model specific

PhD Yearbook | 2018

formulation of the participating international experimental parameters to be defined is a
of buildings with foundation-structure mechanisms such as the soil-
footing geometric (uplift)
dataset, to propose an update
non-linear macro-element able
key aspect that may favour the
practical use of this model either
interaction and material (soil plasticity)
non-linearities. Moreover,
to reproduce with satisfactory
accuracy the observed response of
for application to real cases or for
parametric studies.
Giovanna Pianese - Supervisor: Prof. Roberto Paolucci this macro-element introduces soil-foundation-structure system Since the 3D macro-element is
a significantly enhanced uplift under dynamic loading, with implemented in SeismoStruct
Co-Supervisor: Prof. Stefano Parolai; Dott. Antònio A. Correia model, based on a non-linear emphasis of non-linear behaviour finite element code, this model 727
elastic-uplift response which also of soil-foundation interface; - can be mainly intended as an

Structural Seismic and Geotechnical Engineering

Dynamic soil–structure interaction non-linear structural response Buildings slightly and severely considers some degradation of to quantify and constrain the appropriate tool to allow effective
(SSI) involves the coupling of of instrumented buildings in damaged have been considered. the contact at the soil/footing variability of the macro-element soil-structure interaction analysis
structure, foundation, and presence of SSI; The results of such applications interface due to irrecoverable parameters to increase its of structures with most interesting
soil that, especially during an - the numerical modelling of the have lead to an estimation of changes in its geometry. An robustness and its potential use applications in earthquake
earthquake excitation, may reach non-linear seismic response of threshold frequency change improved bounding surface for application to real cases. engineering. To this regard, an
a substantial level of complexity, foundations and its interaction associated to non-structural and plasticity model is also adopted in The remarkable agreement ideal three dimensional RC
particularly when non-linear with the super-structure through structural damage. The definition order to reproduce a more general achieved between the frame structure on shallow
effects come into play. Since SSI an improved 3D macro-element of such thresholds depends only and realistic material non-linear numerical results and foundation is considered, and
requires evaluating the collective model. on the decrease (in %) of the behaviour, which correctly takes observed response gives both non-linear responses
response of these systems to In the first part of the thesis, a frequency, and does not depend into account the simultaneous important indication of the of the superstructure and of
a specified ground motion, novel approach, which takes on its absolute value, which may elastic-uplift and plastic nonlinear robustness and accuracy of the foundation are accounted
boundary conditions should be advantage of the deconvolution not be accurately reproduced by responses. The initial formulation the macro-element model. for. The results of the numerical
properly introduced to model, on interferometery and S-Transform the simple formula based on the of the new macro-element has The good, and in some case dynamic non-linear analyses of an
one side, the unbounded domain time-frequency analysis, has been shear beam model. The important been improved in parallel to excellent, agreement between ideal RC structure subjected to real
of analyses and, on the other proposed to detect the non-linear aspect of such indications is an extensive validation phase simulated and observed earthquake motions have pointed
side, the interfaces between the seismic behavior of structure in related to their practical use to against results of an international response of foundation subjected out that the tool is appropriate
different coupled systems. Such presence of SSI effects, which, if detect damage when it occurs, experimental dataset that includes to different shaking inputs to investigate the role of dynamic
complexity is further increased not properly accounted for, may and issue an early warning during both large-scale and reduce- demonstrates that the numerical soil-structure interaction in the
by the different scales involved lead to improper evaluation of or soon after earthquakes, and scale tests. The selected dataset model is able to qualitatively seismic response of the structure
in the SSI model that may range the dynamic properties of the before costly physical inspection. varies in model size, testing and quantitatively reproduce the and foundation system, with low
from the tens or hundreds of building and misinterpretation The final objective of this first part equipment, superstructure experimental behaviour, also computational cost.
meters to model the soil, to the of their changes during an is to provide a simple tool that is properties, footing shape, when the dynamic non-linear The main objective of the second
fractions of meters to model the earthquake. The main advantage able to give information about the supporting soil environment and soil-foundation behaviour play a part is to contribute to improve
structural and foundation details. of the proposed method is status of a building, based only on loading protocol. Both uplifting- dominant role. The prediction of the accuracy of numerical tools,
For these reasons, modelling the that it allows to follow step by data-earthquake processing. dominating response and plastic foundation displacements fits very calibrated by the increasing
dynamic SSI effects, especially in step the evolution of dynamic The second part of the work settlement-dominated response well the experimental results. number of carefully controlled
presence of non-linearity, is still parameters, the variation of which, concerns the numerical modelling have been investigated by using The main achievement of the experimental results, and to make
a challenging research problem, in case they occur, are reasonably of the non-linear seismic response tests with different initial safety model validations has been to feasible the practical application
involving several modelling associated with the degradation of foundations and its interaction factor for vertical load, ranging define a default set of macro- of dynamic non-linear foundation
simplifications. of the building stiffness. Such with the super-structure. An from 4 to 30. Ground motion element parameters values concepts to most interesting
Within the vast framework of variations are considered as a improved 3D macro-element inputs include both cyclic loading that ensures an overall good applications in earthquake
dynamic SSI effects, this thesis global indicator of the occurrence model, proposed by Correia of varying amplitude and real or performance of the model. The engineering.
aims at shading further light of damage. Four case studies of (2013), has been presented: it artificial earthquake motions. In practical indications regarding
on two subjects which have instrumented buildings have been builds upon the well-consolidated all experiments, the foundation the selection of the parameters
provided significant progress in treated to investigate the capability concepts and formulations of the lies on the sand with a relative are also provided related to: (i)
the last few years, but still deserve of the proposed approach to previous models. Nevertheless, density that varies from 40 % to geometric and elastic parameters;
considerable attention, namely: detect the occurrence of damage it incorporates some major 90%. The purpose of this validation (ii) strength parameters; (iii)
- the identification of during and after a seismic event. improvements, namely addressing is twofold: - taking advantage of model specific parameters. The
 728

Computational micromechanical analysis of

PhD Yearbook | 2018

metal ceramic composites

Pandi Pitchai - Supervisors: Prof. Gabriella Bolzon and Prof. Michal Basista
729
Low chemical affinity and the overall material response. a real composite has been

Structural Seismic and Geotechnical Engineering

complex production process can The results of this investigation investigated. The analyzed
prevent an adequate coupling show that the macroscopic problem has been considered
between the components of response of the analyzed MMCs under micromechanical bending
metal ceramic composites. is almost insensitive to volume of a material sample with perfect
Thus, imperfect geometries fraction. The fibre arrangement bonding condition. It is found
and interfaces can compromise mainly influences the apparent that the real failure mode of the
the overall performances of ductility of the material induced sample cannot be captured in this
these advanced materials. by plastic strain localization. hypothesis.
The mechanical problem has The study considered both
been analyzed in the extreme periodic and quasi-periodic fibre Keywords : metal ceramic
conditions of perfect adhesion arrangement in the unit cell. The composites; micromechanical
and pure friction between the considered GTN model involves models; frictional interfaces;
matrix and the reinforcement nine material constants. The value damage; debonding; POD-RBF
of composites with periodic of each parameter depends on approximations; metal failure;
microstructures evidencing the production process of the localized damage.
the different load transfer composite. Therefore, no direct
mechanisms. The results of this approach allows to determine
study performed in small strain the actual metal properties. A
regime evidence the sensitiveness sensitivity study has been further
to poor friction in a situation performed to evidence the local
where the overall response of mechanical characteristics, which
the composite appears to be can be potentially determined by
linear. In fact, the nonlinearity indirect calibration procedures. An
detected in the simulation will be approximate analytical model of
hardly evidenced by experiments Proper Orthogonal Decomposition
and is prone to be confused (POD) coupled with interpolation
with an initial settlement of the by Radial Basis Functions (RBFs)
investigated material sample. has been developed for its
Localized damage and debonding possible use in inverse analysis.
processes induced by the growth The efficacy of this approach
and coalescence of micro-voids in has been verified with some
the metal phase have been also combination of GTN material
analyzed by the widely employed parameters, to predict the material
Gurson Tvergaard Needleman response including the plastic
(GTN) damage plasticity model. deformation with reasonable
The study was carried out in accuracy in short computational
order to distinguish the effect of time. Finally, the role of interfaces
the material microstructure on on the failure mechanism of
 730

AN EXPERIMENTALLY DRIVEN COMPUTATIONAL

PhD Yearbook | 2018

ANALYSIS OF THIN LAMINATES

Mahdieh Shahmardani Firouzjah - Supervisor: Prof. Gabriella Bolzon

731
The versatile application of thin in small linear elastic strain and layer characterized by a bilinear

Structural Seismic and Geotechnical Engineering

metal laminates is spreading in large plastic strain regime. Al traction-separation law and
different technological fields, and polymer were considered discretized by cohesive elements.
for the production of flexible as an isotropic material, and The interface properties calibrated
electronics, nano or micro- their behavior was described based on the engineering stress-
devices and beverages packaging. by isotropic linear elasticity and strain curve of plain sample could
The actual material coupling is Huber-Hencky-Mises plasticity capture the response of both
usually designed in order to meet model. The homogenized material center and side cracked Al foils
different functional requirements, response of the paperboard accurately.
including the bearing of composite has been expressed by The adhesion properties of a)
mechanical actions. Specific the orthotropic linear elasticity and the interfaces can usually be
features of these composites are Hill’s plasticity model. characterized only indirectly. The a) b)
the small thickness of the layers, The selected Al foil has 9 micron effect of different interface and
which may behave differently from thickness. Its mechanical response material properties on the overall
the corresponding bulk materials. was evaluated on the basis of response and on the failure mode Fig. 1 - Appearance of wrinkles on
Hence, current research topic uniaxial tensile tests performed on of Al/polymer laminate has been the Al surface under uniaxial tensile
concerns material systems made plain and initially notched material investigated numerically in an test, a) numerical model and b)
experimental test.
of the coupling of thin metal foils, samples. Displacements were extensive parametric study. The
polymer plies and, possibly, with measured during the experiment influencing parameters consist of
paperboard which, the role of each using three-dimensional digital thickness and Young’s modulus
layer is substantial to enhance the image correlation (3D DIC) of the polymer layer, different are used in beverage packaging,
functionality of above systems. technique. Different numerical interfacial properties and a type has been finally investigated. In b)
Therefore, according to complexity models were developed to study of imperfection (Al and polymer this case, realistic biaxial stress
of considered materials, three the failure mode of Al foil and with the wavy-shape surface). states were induced by inflation
investigations were studied its mechanical behavior using The necking phenomena due to test. 3D DIC returned the whole
concerning the introduced plane stress, shell and membrane thinning of the Al foil was defined displacements field in the Fig. 2 - Comparison of out-of-plane displacement between experimental results
applications: micro-mechanical elements. The problem exhibited as the overall load carrying heterogeneous sample. These and numerical results using optimized parameters at (a) 100 mbar, (b) 500
mbar.
behavior of freestanding high sensitivity to the modeling capacity of the Al laminate which measurements were exploited
aluminum foil (Al foil) and details. Simulations based on shell is relevant to Al constitutive to characterize the materials
simulation of crack propagation, elements reproduced the wrinkling properties. Despite significant by inverse analysis and utilizing emphasized that the anisotropic
mechanical behavior of thin phenomena which also occurred effect of polymer thickness on the trust-region-reflective algorithm. behavior become more
laminated structure made of in the experimental test (figure nominal stress-strain curve of the The numerical model results distinguishable by embedding a
Al/polymer coupling and an 1: a, b) but could not capture laminate, its behavior is unaffected based on the identified material laminate inclusion or by making a
inverse analysis procedure for the observed failure mode. On by the change in polymer properties showed excellent hole in the paperboard composite.
the constitutive parameters the other hand, membrane Young’s modulus. The interface agreement with the experimental
identification of a heterogeneous elements simulated a realistic characteristics influenced mainly output (figure 2: a, b). In the end,
material (including paperboard failure mode but without any the softening regime. a sensitivity analysis performed
composite and Al laminate). The wrinkles. Crack propagation was The mechanical response of on the anisotropic behavior
numerical models were performed simulated introducing an interface paperboard laminates, which of the paperboard composite
 732

Non–linear Soil–Structure Interaction ground motions. The procedure soil behaviour. The proposed D’Alembert’s forces (e.g. machinery

PhD Yearbook | 2018

accounts for non-linear soil theoretical framework represents or moving loads). Conversely,
for 3D embedded systems under seismic behaviour, discontinuity
conditions at soil-foundation
all classical yield and failure criteria
for geomaterials by means of a
the introduction of a seismic
isolation system at the base of
excitation interface, wave propagation,
energy dissipation, kinematic
single convex equation and results
in an extremely efficient numerical
the structure amplifies kinematic
interaction effects with respect
and inertial interaction effects. algorithm for the integration of to inertial interaction ones, which
Marianna Tomasin - Supervisor: Prof. Federico Perotti
The research aims at ensuring the constitutive law at local points are drastically lowered. Similar
Co-Supervisors: Prof. Claudio Giulio Di Prisco, Dr. Eng. Andrea Panteghini a balanced trade-off between of the discretized soil domain. situations occur in case of seismic 733
accuracy and efficiency, rigour The implemented algorithm is design of structures resting on

Structural Seismic and Geotechnical Engineering

In everyday engineering practice, recent researches on seismic limited attention has been devoted and feasibility of application. In then successfully exploited for deep foundations (e.g. high-rise
seismic design of structures Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI) to the seismic behaviour of detail, it focuses on the perspective numerical applications, which buildings, offshore platforms), for
and infrastructures is usually have emphasized the role of embedded foundations, which are of a reduction of computational are usually characterized by which kinematic effects cannot be
performed by assuming a ductile the soil compliance and of non- usually designed on the basis of costs, which represents one of either theoretical or numerical ignored. In addition, non-linearities
response of the superstructure, linearities in the soil-foundation approaches proposed for shallow the key issues for the FE method. limitations. Numerical issues about above ground can be easily
while the foundation and the system on the seismic response embedded systems or piles. Interestingly, the ambitious requirements on both the size of introduced, e.g. in the modelling
surrounding soil are supposed to of structures. In this respect, Therefore, the proposed research optimal combination accounting finite elements and the extension of the constitutive behaviour of
be not subjected to any damage: the more recent performance- work offers a contribution to the for all these aspects requires the of the discretized domain are seismic isolation devices.
in structural analyses, they based design philosophy enables topic in order to provide useful investigation of numerical issues also addressed, together with the In the thesis, it is shown how the
are thus assumed as linear (or the characterization of the tools and formulae for seismic and the integration of structural, introduction of proper absorbing adopted formulation and the
equivalently linear) elastic. The desired seismic performance design of embedded systems, seismic and geotechnical topics. boundaries in order to simulate implemented numerical tools
ductility control for the prevention of the structural system under with special regard to foundations The criteria for performing robust the theoretical semi-infinite provide a contribution to the
of collapse mechanisms under a a specified level of earthquake of large plane size, such as those and reliable dynamic FE analyses extension of the bounded discrete assessment and clarification of
design-level earthquake is ensured ground motion without any adopted in nuclear industry. To with a reasonable computational domain. some main key issues regarding
according to the principles of the prescribed method, thus allowing, this aim, the Finite Element (FE) effort and machine runtime are All above mentioned aspects are numerical FE modelling of SSI.
classical capacity-based design, in principle, to account for all method is adopted as a robust, then investigated. The task is given proper consideration in the Furthermore, due to the pursued
which identifies the key regions sources of non-linearities above reliable and rigorous tool for pursued in two ways, namely a research and are implemented integration of structural, seismic
of expected inelastic deformation and below the ground level and modelling SSI problems, properly global and a local one. For the into a FE code in order to and geotechnical aspects, the
within the structure and prevents to ensure a cost-effective seismic accounting for sources of non- first approach, a two-step sub- investigate the seismic response comprehensive and versatile
failure modes elsewhere in the design. Within the context of the linearities, scattering phenomena, structuring procedure based on a of embedded SSI systems. The methodology proposed within the
system. Such requirements, performance-based design, non- kinematic and inertial interaction modified version of the so-called case-study refers to a nuclear research work can be extended
leading to conservative design, linear SSI effects on the seismic effects, even if its use is limited Domain Reduction Method is reactor power building provided to other dynamic SSI systems and
can be ascribed to time and costs response of structural systems by usually large computational proposed and implemented with a seismic isolation system it can be adopted for renewing
related to post-earthquake safety need further assessment and costs. Taking advantage of these in a FE code in order to reduce at the base and supported by an seismic design codes and for the
evaluation of foundations and to insights and proper consideration features, it is possible to avoid the extension of the discretized embedded foundation of large validation of simplified approaches
the lack of well-established and in numerical approaches and simplified assumptions and domain. In detail, the procedure plane size. The choice of the and methods provided in
calibrated methods to evaluate methods with respect to the limitations to linear or equivalently allows to apply the seismic structural system is strategic, since literature.
the plastic behaviour of both soil present state-of-the-art. linear soil behaviour, as frequently excitation close to the region of it is representative of a broad
and foundations under strong Although SSI represents one adopted in methodologies interest in terms of effective forces range of structural behaviours in
earthquakes. Nevertheless, the of the most classical topics in proposed in literature for dynamic and it is particularly advantageous seismic conditions. In fact, if the
unavoidable occurrence of non- earthquake engineering analyses, analyses of SSI systems. for three-dimensional applications structure is assumed as fixed,
linearities in the soil and at soil- research issues about non- In this light, the main purpose with respect to the original inertial interaction effects prevail
foundation interface has been linear effects have been mainly of the thesis is to develop a formulation of the problem. on kinematic interaction ones,
highlighted by recent earthquake investigated only in last three comprehensive three-dimensional The efficiency of the proposed FE which can usually be neglected.
ground motions characterized decades, due to emphasis on limit non-linear FE procedure that approach is then improved, from The same conditions are typically
by large spectral and ground state design and to the support can accurately simulate the a local point of view, by adopting adopted for the analysis of
accelerations, especially in of advancements in computing dynamic response of embedded an elegant and novel formulation structures resting on surface
near fault areas. In addition, power. In addition, in SSI studies SSI systems under earthquake for the non-linear modelling of foundations or subjected to