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GIULIO VENTURA Professor in Structural Mechanics Department of Structural, Building and
Geotechnical Engineering Politecnico di Torino Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24 10129 Torino, ITALY Tel: +39 011 090 4906 Fax: +39 011 090 4899 |
PROFILE AND RESEARCH INTERESTS
Computational
Mechanics
My main area of
scientific interest is focused on finite elements and their application to
discontinuities, as well as on the development of new computational models and
algorithms. I have been part of Ted Belytschko's
group at Northwestern University, where I contributed to the development eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM). In this framework I
introduced the Equivalent Polynomials Quadrature, that allows for a dramatic
simplification in the implementation of computational softwares.
Railway Track Sand
Mitigation
I have been
scientific chief for the sand mitigation studies and design in the construction
of Etihad Rail Stage 1 Project. Now I am involved in several Etihad Rail Stage
2 Projects for new railway lines (Packages A and D) and facilities (Packages F1
and F2). This exciting study involves site reconnaissance, satellite data
processing, fluid dynamics simulations, full scale trial field testing,
interpretation of the experimental data and design of the mitigations.
The developed sand
mitigations during Stage 1 are now the required standard by Etihad Rail. This
experience extends in similar projects in Oman and Saudi Arabia.
See also http://www.sandmitigation.com/en/
Active Monitoring
In the field of
Structural monitoring I have introduced the new "active monitoring"
paradigm, where the sensor data are processed in real time to get an immediate
picture of the correct working behavior of the structure by analyzing the
mathematical correlation between acquired data. Anomalies are notified
automatically. Systems have been installed on a 250m steel bridge, a railway
viaduct, a seismically isolated building and are currently being designed for
several others bridges and viaducts. Other noticeable application is the dynamic
data processing of the new Polcevera bridge in
Genova.
In this field, I am actually appointed expert by the Italian Government for the
development of guidelines for monitoring, evaluation and risk classification of
existing infrastructures and vice-president in the Italian Technical Committee
4.2 – Bridges of PIARC - World Road Association.
Team
The above studies
are actively carried out with the cooperation of an active team of colleagues,
PhD students and staff from private companies.