Paolo Beccarelli

Contact

• workRoom C48 Lenton Firs House
  University Park
  Nottingham
  NG7 2RD
  UK
• work0115 95 13897
• Paolo.Beccarelli@nottingham.ac.uk

Biography

M.Sc. in Architectural Engineering, PhD on architectural fabrics and foils, I am Associate Professor in Architectural Structures, member of the Architecture, Culture and Tectonics Research Group and coordinator of the Tectonics research area at the University of Nottingham.

I am Chartered Engineer and Architect (Italy) and Vice-Chair of the European Network TensiNet.

Expertise Summary

My research is focused on the impact of new digital tools on the design, engineering and manufacturing of temporary lightweight structures.

In the Tectonics area of the ACT research group, we develop innovative design approaches and form-finding techniques to make possible complex projects based on architectural coated fabrics, ETFE foils and cable nets. Our applied research changed the use of tensioned membranes in architecture and provided the scientific background for a new generation of temporary structures in collaboration with the main industrial partners in the motorsport sector including Audi, Ducati, Yamaha, Suzuki & Lamborghini.

We are the scientific partner of award winning architectural design and engineering firms including Foster + Partners, DR+R, Marco Balich and MAD Architects, our mission is to deliver cutting edge projects in collaboration with our network of industrial partners.

In order to unlock the potential of this sector, in collaboration with the European Network TensiNet we support the development of new design guides and Eurocodes for the safe and cost-effective design and manufacturing of tensioned membrane structures.

Our research has been supported by TSB Innovate UK with 580.000£ which funded a series of KTP research projects designed to exploit the impact of our research on the British industry. The research outputs include International Patents, Registered EU Community Designs and scientific papers published on peer-reviewed journals and presented at the main international conferences in this field.

The research group is expanding its research interests in this field and we welcome enquiries from potential PhD candidates from Home, EU and international countries who are interested in digital architecture, tensioned membrane structures and ETFE foils.

Teaching Summary

Weekly Drop-in Session: Wednesday 13:00 - 14:00, Meering with the personal tutor: Book time with Paolo Beccarelli

Paolo Beccarelli is Programme Senior Tutor for MArch Architecture Part 2, Department of Architecture and Built Environment. He is the module convenor of Tectonics 1 (ABEE1005), Environment and Technology 2 (ABEE4038) and Applied Architectural Technology (ABEE4051). He is module contributor of Tectonics 2A (ABEE2008), Tectonics 2B (ABEE2009-3011), and Diploma Design Thesis/Dissertation (ABEE4002).

Paolo Beccarelli is available for students to 'drop in' and discuss any issues related to their pastoral care or tutoring on Tuesday from 14:00 - 15:00. During this time, he will try to see students on a 'first come first serve' basis.

Research Summary

Recent Research Projects

ROYAL SOCIETY - INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES 2023 - Radiative Cooling For Membrane Building Envelopes Size: £12.000 Length: 24 months

ROYAL SOCIETY - INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES 2023 - Design And Development of Smart Windows for Low Carbon Buildings Size: £12.000 Length: 24 months

FARMING INNOVATION PROGRAMME - RESEARCH STARTER ROUND 2 - FULL STAGE (2022-23) Exploring a new type of greenhouse Size: £55.366 Length: 6 months

FARMING INNOVATION PROGRAMME - FEASIBILITY ROUND 2 (2022-24) Protected Cultivation of Horticultural Crops: Setting a New Standard Size: £ 499,947 Length: 23 months

Knowledge Transfer Partnership - KTP011330 (2018-2021) To develop digital parametric tools for manufacturing steel structures for lightweight roofs and building integrated photovoltaic structures. Size: £221.018 Length: 29 months

Knowledge Transfer Partnership - KTP010169 (2015-2016) To design, develop and implement a passive heat recovery and storage system for the ETFE foil encapsulated greenhouse façade/roof using phase change material. Size: £59.880 Length: 12 months

Knowledge Transfer Partnership - KTP009912 (2015-2018) To develop novel tensile membrane structures and also adaptable textile-covered building facades integrating tensile photovoltaic membranes for energy harvesting and environmental control to assist Europe's renewable energy generation targets. Size: £174.952 Length: 30 months

Knowledge Transfer Partnership- KTP9213 (2013-2015) To design, develop and implement a modular self-supporting structural-construction system comprised of linked ETFE foil encapsulated panels. Size: £124.235 Length: 24 months

EU COST Programme Project TU1303: oc-2012-2-13283 (2013-2017)) Novel structural skins: Improving sustainability and efficiency through new structural textile materials and design. Size: €674.130 Length: 48 months

EU Project MULTITEXCO FP7-SME, Project reference: 606411 (2013-2016) High Performance Smart Multifunctional Technical Textiles for the Construction . Size: € 2.477.532 Length: 36 months

Selected Publications

• JAN-FREDERIK FLOR, XIAO LIU, YANYI SUN, PAOLO BECCARELLI, JOHN CHILTON and YUPENG WU, 2022. Switching daylight: Performance prediction of climate adaptive ETFE foil façades Building and Environment. 209, 108650
• FLOR, J. F., LIU, D., SUN, Y., BECCARELLI, P., CHILTON, J. and WU, Y., 2018. Optical aspects and energy performance of switchable ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) foil cushions: Applied Energy Applied Energy. 229, 335-351
• DE VITA, M., BECCARELLI, P., LAURINI, E. and DE BERARDINIS, P., 2018. Performance analyses of temporary membrane structures: Energy saving and CO2 reduction through dynamic simulations of textile envelopes: Sustainability (Switzerland) Sustainability (Switzerland). 10(7),
• P. BECCARELLI, 2015. Biaxial Testing for Fabrics and Foils: Optimizing Devices and Procedures Springer.

• View all publications

• RUI GUAN, JUN LU, ZHEN PENG, SIYU MA, WU DENG, ZHIANG ZHANG, PAOLO BECCARELLI and TONG HE, 2024. Thermal comfort of healthcare facilities in China: A review Building and Environment. 265, 111927
• JINHAO ZHANG, JUN LU, WU DENG, PAOLO BECCARELLI and ISAAC YU FAT LUN, 2024. Investigation of thermal comfort and preferred temperatures among rural elderly in Weihai, China: Considering metabolic rate effects Journal of Building Engineering. 97, 110940
• ZHANG, J., LU, J., DENG, W., BECCARELLI, P. and LUN, I. Y. F., 2023. Thermal comfort investigation of rural houses in China: A review: Building and Environment Building and Environment. 235,
• RAKHMAT FITRANTO ADITRA, PAOLO BECCARELLI and ROBIN WILSON, 2023. Pneufin: A switchable foil cushion inspired soft pneumatic adaptive shading Journal of Building Engineering. 77, 107521
• AGUILAR-PEREZ, YARELY, RODRIGUES, LUCELIA, BECCARELLI, PAOLO and TUBELO, RENATA, 2023. Post-Occupancy Evaluation in Post-Disaster Social Housing in a Hot-Humid Climate Zone in Mexico Sustainability. 15(18),
• JAN-FREDERIK FLOR, XIAO LIU, YANYI SUN, PAOLO BECCARELLI, JOHN CHILTON and YUPENG WU, 2022. Switching daylight: Performance prediction of climate adaptive ETFE foil façades Building and Environment. 209, 108650
• TANG, YUZHEN, BECCARELLI, PAOLO, GUO, HONGWEI, LIU, RONGQIANG, DE FOCATIIS, DAVIDE S A and DENG, ZONGQUAN, 2022. Biomimetic folding of triangular deployable membranes Bioinspiration & Biomimetics.
• WANG, Z., LU, J., BECCARELLI, P. and YANG, C., 2021. Neighbourhood permeability and burglary: a case study of a city in China: Intelligent Buildings International Intelligent Buildings International.
• R. F. ADITRA, P. BECCARELLI and C. JIMENEZ-BESCOS, 2021. Switching transformation for soft pneumatic adaptive shading In: Structural Membranes 2021, X International Conference on Textile Composites and Inflatable Structures.
• J.-F. FLOR, Y. SUN, P. BECCARELLI and J. CHILTON, 2021. Retrofitting office buildings: enhanced daylighting performance with switchable ETFE double-skin façades In: Structural Membranes 2021, X International Conference on Textile Composites and Inflatable Structures.
• FLOR, J. F., SUN, Y., BECCARELLI, P., CHILTON, J. and WU, Y., 2021. RETROFITTING OFFICE BUILDINGS: ENHANCING DAYLIGHTING PERFORMANCE WITH SWITCHABLE ETFE DOUBLE-SKIN FAÇADES
• JAN-FREDERIK FLOR, YANYI SUN, PAOLO BECCARELLI, YUPENG WU and JOHN CHILTON, 2019. Switchable ETFE cushion: designing and building a model for experimental testing In: Form and Force: Proceedings of the IASS Annual Symposium 2019 – Structural Membranes 2019. 377-382
• P. BECCARELLI, M. ARMANI and R. MAFFEI, 2019. Casa Corriere –RCS Media Group pavilion for Expo 2015 In: Proceedings of the TensiNet Symposium 2019: Softening the Habitats. 505-513
• M. DE VITA, R. D'ANTONIO, P. BECCARELLI and P. DE BERARDINIS, 2019. Energy performance of film membranes in the retrofitting of Architectural Heritage: an Italian case study In: Proceedings of the TensiNet Symposium 2019: Softening the Habitats. 624-633
• FLOR, J. F., SUN, Y., BECCARELLI, P., ROWELL, C., CHILTON, J. and WU, Y., 2019. Experimental study on the thermal performance of ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) foil cushions IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering: 9th International SOLARIS Conference; Chengdu, China, 30-31 August 2018. 556(1), 012004
• FLOR J.-F., BECCARELLI P., WU Y. and CHILTON J., 2019. Switchable ETFE cushion: designing and building a model for experimental testing. In: LÁZARO C., BLETZINGER K-U and OÑATE E., eds., FORM and FORCE 2019: 60th Anniversary Symposium of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS SYMPOSIUM 2019) and 9th International Conference on Textile Composites and Inflatable Structures (Structural Membranes 2019). International Centre for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE) Barcelona, Spain. 388-393
• SOMANATH S., REED V., CARPENTER R., DAVIDSON S., WU Y. and BECCARELLI P., 2019. Parametric design of Built Structures - State of the Art. In: LÁZARO C., BLETZINGER K-U and OÑATE E., eds., FORM and FORCE 2019: 60th Anniversary Symposium of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS SYMPOSIUM 2019) and 9th International Conference on Textile Composites and Inflatable Structures (Structural Membranes 2019). International Centre for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE) Barcelona, Spain. 1135-1146
• SOMANATH, S., REED, V., CARPENTER, R., DAVIDSON, S., WU, J. and BECCARELLI, P., 2019. Review of parametric strategies for design optimization of built structures: Iass 60th Anniversary Symposium Int Center Numerical Methods Engineering.
• DE VITA, M., BECCARELLI, P., LAURINI, E. and DE BERARDINIS, P., 2018. Performance analyses of temporary membrane structures: Energy saving and CO2 reduction through dynamic simulations of textile envelopes: Sustainability (Switzerland) Sustainability (Switzerland). 10(7),
• FLOR, J. F., LIU, D., SUN, Y., BECCARELLI, P., CHILTON, J. and WU, Y., 2018. Optical aspects and energy performance of switchable ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) foil cushions: Applied Energy Applied Energy. 229, 335-351
• P. BECCARELLI and R. MAFFEI, 2018. Pneumatic membranes for biogas plants In: Proceedings of the IASS Annual Symposium 2018, 16-19 July 2018, MIT, Boston, Caitlin Mueller, Sigrid Adriaenssens (eds.).
• HEND MOHAMED IBRAHIM ALI, PAOLO BECCARELLI, VANESSA REED and ROBERT CARPENTER, 2018. The Priory Tree: Registered Community Design Application No: 005665734 https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/#details/designs/005665734-0001
• FLOR J., WU Y., BECCARELLI P. and CHILTON J., 2017. Parametric study on the optical behaviour of kinetic multilayer ETFE cushions in building envelopes using ray-tracing In: Solaris 2017: conference proceedings.
• IBRAHIM ALI H., BECCARELLI P., REED V. and CARPENTER R., 2017. Design of a cost effective small span tensile roof In: Structural Membranes 2017 VIII International Conference on Textile Composites and Inflatable Structures 9-11 October 2017, Munich, Germany.
• IBRAHIM ALI H. and BECCARELLI P., 2017. Performance of curved organic photovoltaics modules for membranes integration: solar simulation test In: Structural Membranes 2017 VIII International Conference on Textile Composites and Inflatable Structures 9-11 October 2017, Munich, Germany.
• BECCARELLI P. and MAFFEI R., 2017. Engineering and fabrication of the “Off the Cuff” pavilion, Fuorisalone 2017, Milan In: Structural Membranes 2017 VIII International Conference on Textile Composites and Inflatable Structures 9-11 October 2017, Munich, Germany.
• BECCARELLI P. and MAFFEI R., 2017. Retrofitting of ETFE roofs In: Proceedings of the IASS Annual Symposium 2017 “Interfaces: architecture . engineering . science” September 25 - 28th, 2017, Hamburg, Germany.
• BECCARELLI P. and MAFFEI R., 2017. Structural roofing system and method of using the same European Patent EP2868844A1 04/26/2017 00:00:00
• FLOR J., WU Y., BECCARELLI P. and CHILTON J., 2017. Dynamic environmental control mechanisms for pneumatic foil constructions E3S Web of Conferences. 22(ASEE17), 00048
• MARTIN B. A., MASIH D., LAU B., BECCARELLI P. and CHILTON J., 2016. An Evaluation of Thermal and Lighting Performance Within an ETFE Structure. In: DASTBAZ M. and GORSE C., eds., Sustainable Ecological Engineering Design: Selected Proceedings from the International Conference of Sustainable Ecological Engineering Design for Society (SEEDS) Springer International Publishing. 47-58
• HEYSE, P., BUYLE, G., WALENDY, B., BECCARELLI, P., LORIGA, G., ZANGANI, D. and TEMPESTI, A., 2016. Multitexco: High-performance smart multifunctional technical textiles for the construction sector: Unitex Unitex. 2016-June(2), 4-6
• BECCARELLI P. and MAFFEI R., 2016. Design and Manufacturing of the Linko Demountable Fabric Pavilion for the Motorsport Sector Procedia Engineering. 155, 323-331
• IBRAHIM H., WAGDY A., BECCARELLI P., CARPENTER R. and CHILTON J., 2016. Applicability of Flexible Photovoltaic Modules onto Membrane Structures Using Grasshopper Integrative Model Procedia Engineering. 155, 379-387
• HEYSE P., BUYLE G. and BECCARELLI P., 2016. MULTITEXCO - High Performance Smart Multifunctional Technical Textiles for Tensile Structures Procedia Engineering. 155, 8-17
• LIU H., SUN Y., WU Y., MARTIN B., CHILTON J., MIRZAEI P., ZANG X., BECCARELLI P. and LAU B., 2016. Thermal and Optical Analysis of a Passive Heat Recovery and Storage System for Greenhouse Skin Procedia Engineering. 155, 472-478
• DE VITA M., DE BERNARDINIS P. and BECCARELLI P., 2016. The environmental impact of a temporary lightweight building In: Proceedings of 41th IAHS WORLD CONGRESS, Sustainability and Innovation for the Future.
• BECCARELLI P., MAFFEI R. and BINDA R., 2016. ETFE envelopes for the building sector In: Proceedings of the 11th Conference on Advanced Building Skins. 720-729
• P. BECCARELLI, 2015. Biaxial Testing for Fabrics and Foils: Optimizing Devices and Procedures Springer.
• B. A. J. MARTIN, B. LAU, P. BECCARELLI, Y. WU and J. CHILTON, 2015. Modular Transparent ETFE Panels for Building Envelopes: Thermal Transmittance Assessment and Evaluation IASS 2015 Symposium and Pavilion Contest.
• BECCARELLI P., MAFFEI R., LUCHSINGER R.H. and CHILTON J., 2015. Ducati Superbike Pavilion: Design and Manufacturing of a Tensairity® Roof In: Structural membranes 2015 VII International Conference on Textile Composites and Inflatable Structures, 19-22 October 2015, Barcellona, Spain.
• BECCARELLI P., MAFFEI R., GALLIOT C. and LUCHSINGER R.H., 2015. A new generation of temporary pavilions based on Tensairity® girders Steel Construction. 8(4), 259-264
• BECCARELLI P., 2015. Designing with Membranes. In: ZANELLI A., SPINELLI L., MONTICELLI C. and PEDRALI P., eds., Lightweight Landscape: Enhancing Design through Minimal Mass Structures Springer.
• HEYSE P., BUYLE G., WALENDY B., BECCARELLI P., LORIGA G., ZANGANI D. and TEMPESTI A., 2015. MULTITEXCO – High Performance Smart Multifunctional Technical Textiles for the Construction Sector Procedia Engineering. 114, 11-17
• DE VITA M., BECCARELLI P., DE BERARDINIS P. and MAFFEI R, 2015. Performance analyses of the Ducati Superbike Pavilion In: 10th Conference on Advanced Building Skins, 03-04 November, Bern, Switzerland.
• BECCARELLI P., MARTIN B., LAU B., CHILTON J., BONARDI S. and MAFFEI R., 2015. Single-board microcontrollers applied to biaxial tests for architectural membranes In: International IASS Symposium 2015, 17-20 August, Amsterdam, Netherlands..
• BECCARELLI P., COLASANTE G., NOVATI G., STIMPFLE B. and ZANELLI A., 2013. Strain-controlled biaxial tests of coatedfabric membranes In: Tensinet Symposium 2013 [RE]THINKING Lightweight Structures 8 -10 May 2013, Mimar Sinan Fine-Art University, Istanbul. 53-65
• ZANELLI A., ROSINA. E., BECCARELLI P., MAFFEI R. and CARRA G., 2013. Innovative technological solutions for ultra-lightweight shelters covering archaeological sites In: 2nd International conference on Structures and Architecture (ICSA 2013).
• BECCARELLI, P., CARRA, G. and MAFFEI, R., 2013. Advantages of bending active tensile structures for ultra-lightweight temporary pavilions In: Transformables 2013, 18-20 September 2013, School of Architecture, Seville, Spain. 1-6
• TANG G., CHILTON J. and BECCARELLI P., 2013. Progressive Development of Timber Gridshell Design, Analysis and Construction: Paper 1387 In: Proceedings of International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) Symposium 2013, 23-27 September, Wroclaw University of Technology, Poland, J.B. Obrębski and R. Tarczewski (eds.). 6
• BECCARELLI P. and CHILTON J., 2013. Advantages of lightweight tensioned coated fabrics and foils façades for the building sector In: Structural Membranes 2013 VI International Conference on Textile Composites and Inflatable Structures 9-11 October 2013, Munich, Germany..
• MAFFEI R., ZANELLI A. and BECCARELLI P., 2013. Lightweight architecture: characteristics for an effective application in case of emergency In: 2nd International conference on Structures and Architecture (ICSA 2013).
• MAFFEI R., CARRA G., BECCARELLI P., GALLIOT C. and ZANELLI A., 2012. Design of inflatable complex shapes and geometrical analysis of pneumatic structures In: International Symposia IASS-APCS 2012, 21-24 May 2012, Seoul, Korea.
• CARRA G., BECCARELLI P. and MAFFEI R., 2012. Interaction between fiber-glass profiles and membranes for building active tensile structures In: International Symposia IASS-APCS 2012, 21-24 May 2012, Seoul, Korea.
• CARRA G., ZANELLI A., BECCARELLI P. and MAFFEI R., 2012. Time dependent behaviour of gfrp pultruded profiles and polyester pvc coated fabric for building composite active tensile structures In: European Conference on Composite Materials ECCM15, 24-28 June 2012, Venice, Italy.
• ZANELLI A., BECCARELLI P., MONTICELLI C., MAFFEI R. and IBRAHIM H.M., 2012. Technical and manufacturing aspects in order to create a smart façade system with OPV integrated into ETFE foils In: International Symposia IASS-APCS 2012, 21-24 May 2012, Seoul, Korea.
• ZANELLI A., BECCARELLI P. and MAFFEI R., 2012. Textile technologies applied to heritage protection: innovative materials and experimental studies In: 6th International Turkish Culture, Art and Cultural Heritage Symposium, 18-19 September 2012, Milan, Italy. (In Press.)
• ROSINA, E., ZANELLI, A., BECCARELLI, P., GARGANO, M. and ROMOLI, E., 2011. New procedures and materials for improving protection of archaeological areas Materials Evaluation. 69(8), 979-989
• BECCARELLI, P., BRIDGENS, B.N., GALLIOT, C., GOSLING, P.D., STIMPFLE, B. and ZANELLI, A., 2011. Round-robin biaxial tensile testing of architectural coated fabrics In: Proceedings of the International Symposia IABSE-IASS 2011:Taller, Longer, Lighter, 20-23 September, London, UK.
• MOLLAERT M., DE LAET L., VERDONCK A., LOMBARDI S., BECCARELLI P. and ZANELLI A., 2011. Textile shelters for archaeological areas: design strategies In: 12th International Conference on Structural Repairs and Maintenance of Heritage Architecture, 5-7 September 2011, Chianciano Terme, Italy. 387-400
• ZANELLI A., MONTICELLI C., BECCARELLI P. and IBRAHIM H.M., 2011. Experimental manufacture of a pneumatic cushion made of ETFE foils and OPV cells In: V International Conference on Textile Composites and Inflatable Structures, 5-7 October 2011, Barcellona, Spain.
• BECCARELLI, P., ROMOLI, E., ROSINA, E. and ZANELLI, A., 2010. Textile shelters for archaeological areas: a change in the preservation of cultural heritage In: Tensile Architecture: Connecting Past and Future, Proceedings of the TensiNet Symposium, 16-18 September 2010, Sofia, Bulgaria. 1-11