Claudio MODENA (Local Coordinator) University of Padova, Italy (Partner)

About Prof. Claudio MODENA

Prof. C. Modena is Full Professor of Structural Engineering at the University of Padova. He received a triennial Research Scholarship from the Ministry of Education and in 1974 he was appointed Assistant Professor of Structural Engineering at Padua University. In 1988 he was appointed Associate Professor. Since 1994 he has been Full Professor of Structural Engineering of University of Padua. Since 2000 he has also held the course of "Structural Problems of Monumental Historical Heritage" in Architectural and Building Engineering. Director of the Master Course in ‘Structural Restoration of Historic Monuments and Buildings’. Author of over 200 papers in international journals and conferences. He is interested in analysis and design of construction, with particular attention on masonry historical and monumental structures, strengthening/retrofitting in seismic areas, retrofitting of metal and masonry arch bridges, safety evaluations. He has several years experience of research work within the frameworks programmes of the EU as responsible of UNIPD Research Unit. He has participated and has been responsible for University of Padua Research Unit in several research projects founded and co-founded by the Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR ex MURST), by the National Research Council (CNR) and by the National Group for Earthquake Defence (CNR-GNDT). Prof. Modena has maintained a balance between academic and practical experience, combining with mutual benefit both research work and technical consulting. Most of his consulting activity is in the field of restoration and conservation of historic masonry structures. He is member of several technical and scientific committees: Cultural Heritage Ministry, Protection of Cultural Heritage from Seismic Hazard Committee and Standardization; Committee (NORMAL) for structures and NDT; UNI - Italian Normalization Institute, CIS-Structural Engineering Committee - Coordinator of the sub-committee for masonry; CNR-GNDT National Group for Earthquake Defense, Experimentation Work Group and Vulnerability Work Group; CEN - TC 250 Structural Eurocodes "Masonry Structures"; Link-Engineer for Eurocode 6, nominated by the Ministry of Infrastructures; Italian delegate for the Coordinating Group of TC 125 "Masonry"; PT1 "Common Rules for Reinforced and Unreinforced Masory Structures" TC 250-SC6; ISO: TC 179 "Masonry", SC2 "Reinforced masonry"; CIB Commission- W23 Wall Structures Honorary member and past President; RILEM member of commissions TC 125 (Design by testing), TC 127 (Non destructive test methods on masonry), MDT committee masonry durability and onsite testing, TC MMM committee for computer modeling of mechanical behavior of masonry structures; ISCARSAH, International Scientific Committee for Analysis and Restoration of Structures of Architectural Heritage; Joint Committee for Structural Safety (JCSS); delegate of CIB-FIB; European Association of Earthquake Engineering (EAEE).

About University of Padova, Italy

The University of Padova is one of the most ancient in Europe. Juridical, theological, philosophical and medical studies were fostered in the mediaeval town before the ground was prepared for the official birth of a permanent university, which took place on September 29th, 1222. The University of Padova is a state university, as are most universities in Italy. There are almost 63.000 students on a total population of about 300.000 inhabitants. There is no campus system. At present the University of Padova consists of thirteen schools: Agriculture, Economics, Education, Engineering, Humanities, Law, Medicine and Surgery, Pharmacy, Political Sciences, Psychology, Sciences, Statistics and Veterinary Medicine. Our relations with other academic institutions and research centres all over the world, from America to China and Australia, are extremely active through exchanges of students, teachers, information and publications.

The Department of Structural and Transportation Engineering (DCT), Faculty of Engineering, has a section involved since many years on experimental and theoretical research topics related to the structural conservation of cultural heritage buildings. It has a large experience on research topics related to the structural repair/strengthening of historic buildings, including laboratory testing and in-situ non-destructive tests, experimental and theoretical analyses of their structural response under static and dynamic (seismic) actions, static and dynamic monitoring of structural behaviour and dynamic identification of buildings and monuments. Reliable analytical procedures for the evaluation of the seismic vulnerability of masonry structures and for the creation of seismic risk maps are under development.