Francesco Scopelliti

Theoretical and Computational Analysis of Airport Flexible Pavements Reinforced with Geogrids

In recent years the need to increase pavement service life and guarantee high performance has turned a greater attention on the use of pavement reinforcements. In this paper the effectiveness of geogrids as reinforcement of HMA layers in an airport flexible pavement was investigated.

A Methodology for Assessing the Seismic Vulnerability of Highway Systems

Modern society is totally dependent on a complex and articulated infrastructure network of vital importance for the existence of the urban settlements scattered on the territory. On these infrastructure systems, usually indicated with the term lifelines, are entrusted numerous services and indispensable functions of the normal urban and human activity.The systems of the lifelines represent an essential element in all the urbanised areas which are subject to seismic risk. It is important that, in these zones, they are planned according to opportune criteria based on two fundamental assumptions: a) determination of the best territorial localization, avoiding, within limits, the places of higher dangerousness; b) application of constructive technologies finalized to the reduction of the vulnerability.Therefore it is indispensable that in any modern process of seismic risk assessment the study of the networks is taken in the rightful consideration, to be integrated with the traditional analyses of the buildin...

Mitigation of Railway Traffic Induced Vibrations: The Influence of Barriers in Elastic Half-Space

In this paper, the problem of vibrations induced by trains and their propagation through the soil is studied. Particular attention is focused on the vibration induced by trains in motion and on the effects of such vibrations on the foundations of buildings in proximity of the tracks. The interaction between propagating waves induced by trains in motion and buildings foundations is a problem which does not admit a straightforward analytical solution; thus a solution is given by the use of a model based on the finite elements method. Firstly, we analyze the theoretical aspects of the problem by considering constant or harmonic loads moving along a straight railway track; then, we define a transfer function soil-railway and the response function of the entire system. The study aims to address the wave propagation in an elastic semi-space and the presence in the ground of a discontinuity element, such as a barrier of a given depth is considered. The efficiency variation of barriers is analyzed in function of the different materials used, and different numerical simulations are analyzed in order to study how the wave propagation and the track-soil interaction are influenced by the membrane, seen as damping barrier.

Theoretical Model to Adhesion Failure in Granular Materials

Two disjoint particles joined by adhesion materials are here considered when dead load operating over it. We will to perform a theoretical characterization of this micro-system through a behavior specific approach. This last is located within the hypo-elasticity framework since granular material behavior can be in according whit it. Again we expand the framework joining some further aspects which the deformation field. Over this, we focus peculiar response of the extreme elastic deformation through energetic approach. The model will be able to simulate asphalt mixture behavior in the damage evolution for bond adhesion break.

Interfaces Behavior in Glued Granular Materials

In this paper a micro-scale model to investigate the structural integrity of a runway surface has been developed. By performing stress analysis on a representative volume element (RVE), our model specification has been focalized on two elementary mixture constituents, two rigid components glued together by asphalt. The analysis is performed under thermo-mechanical actions, as those produced by landing gear impact and variable high surface temperatures. Three different interfaces (rigid to rigid, rigid to soft and soft to soft), three different asphalt density and two different values of surface temperature have been considered in the simulation. Resulting stress and strain fields are compared to define the greater critical conditions and to evaluate the micro-scale structural integrity