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Biography
Gabriele was appointed Assistant Professor in Structural Engineering at the University of Nottingham in July 2022. His research focuses on fracture of materials, friction, and earthquakes. He combines numerical and theoretical models to gain better understanding of experimental observation and uncover the underlying physics. Previously, he was a Swiss National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University and received his PhD from Cornell University in 2021 with thesis titled "Nucleation and Propagation of Fracture in Heterogeneous Materials". During his doctoral training he was a vising researcher at Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich and at the Institut Jean le Rond d'Alembert at Sorbonne Université. He holds a BSc and a MSc in civil engineering at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).
Expertise Summary
- Numerical modelling of solids - fracture and friction in particular
- Multi-scale and multi-physics methods
- Experimental fracture mechanics with image-based fracture characterization
- Friction experiments and laboratory earthquakes
- Stochastic properties of heterogeneous materials
Teaching Summary
I teach Fundamentals of Materials (CIVE2035). In this module, students learn how to model the behaviour of structural materials, assess deformation and strength criteria. Principles of different… read more
Research Summary
Gabriele's research focuses on combining multiscale simulation with experimental techniques to better understand the physics governing friction and fracture. Deeper understanding of fracture and… read more
Recent Publications
LODRO, M., GRADONI, G., SMARTT, C., THOMAS, D. and GREEDY, S., 2022. Compact MIMO System Performances in Metallic Enclosures: Electronics (Switzerland) Electronics (Switzerland). 11(24),
I teach Fundamentals of Materials (CIVE2035). In this module, students learn how to model the behaviour of structural materials, assess deformation and strength criteria. Principles of different failure modes are introduced including plastic yielding, brittle fracture, fatigue and creep. Criteria for material selection for specific applications are also introduced.
Current Research
Gabriele's research focuses on combining multiscale simulation with experimental techniques to better understand the physics governing friction and fracture. Deeper understanding of fracture and friction will enable design and control of a wide range of systems, such as composite materials with enhanced fracture properties, better control of frictional systems such as tyre-road interaction, and efficient and save subsurface energy recovery by assessing the risk of induced seismicity.
To achieve this, he develops ad-hoc high-performance numerical methods and collaborates closely with experimental groups to develop new image-based measurements techniques. In particular, he has recently worked on numerical modelling of frictional interfaces which, together with experimental evidence, showed that the onset on frictional motion is governed by brittle fracture theory. Currently, he is working on experimental techniques for measuring slip at soft interfaces, on AI-assisted image analysis of avalanches in granular media, and on numerical and theoretical modelling of hydraulic fracture.
Future Research
I welcome enquiries from potential PhD candidates from Home, EU and international countries who are interested in the following research areas: fracture mechanics, friction (from tyres to earthquakes), composites materials, mechanical metamaterials, computational material design, machine learning.