Nicola Tondini

2009   PhD in Structural Engineering, “Performance-based analysis of concrete and steel-concrete composite box-girder bridges”, Supervisor: Prof. O.S. Bursi, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Italy

2005   MSc in Civil Engineering with 110/110 cum laude, University of Trento, Italy

CURRENT POSITION

From 2024          Professor of Structural Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Italy

PREVIOUS POSITIONS

2021 – 2024        Associate Professor of Structural Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Italy

2018 – 2021        Assistant Professor type B (Senior) of Structural Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Italy

2013 – 2018        Assistant Professor type A (Junior) of Structural Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Italy

TEACHING ACTIVITIES

From 2019/20 “Design of Steel and Fire-Resistant Structures” masters course in Civil Engineering (in Italian), University of Trento, Course leader (6 ETCS & 10 ETCS)

From 2020/21 “Risk and Uncertainty: Measurement, Perception and Management” bachelor’s degree in “Economics and Management” (in Italian), University of Trento, Course Participant (6 ETCS)

2016/17 – Present “Fundamentals of steel structures design” within the course “Mechanics and Structural Design for Energy Engineering”, masters course in Energy Engineering (in English), University of Trento/Free University of Bolzano (6 ECTS)

2013/14 – Present “Design of steel and steel-concrete composite bridges” within the course “Analysis and Design of Bridges”, masters course in Civil Engineering (in Italian), University of Trento (6 ECTS)

2018/19 – 2023/24 “Design of Structures” masters course in Architecture and Building Engineering (in Italian), University of Trento, Course leader (6 ETCS)

2013/14 – 2019/20 “Structural design”, masters course in Architecture and Building Engineering (in Italian), University of Trento, Course leader from 2015/16 (12 ETCS)

2012/13 – 2018/19 “Design of steel and concrete structures in case of fire” within the course “Earthquake Engineering and Structural Design”, masters course in Civil Engineering (in Italian), University of Trento (12 ECTS)

2014/15 – 2016/17 “Structural design of wind turbines” within the course “Wind Power Systems”, masters course in Energy Engineering (in English), University of Trento/Free University of Bolzano (6 ECTS)

2014/15 – 2015/16 “Introduction to the analysis of linear and nonlinear thermomechanical problems”, Doctoral School in Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering (in English), University of Trento (4h)

2011        “Performance-based design of steel structures in fire: coupling methodologies between CFD and FE software for the modelling of compartment fires”, Course given within the Doctoral School in Engineering of Civil and Mechanical Structural Systems (in English), University of Trento (3h)

In the last 15 years, I have been investigating the behaviour of structural systems that are subjected to accidental actions, i.e., fire and earthquake. Particular focus has been devoted to the behaviour of steel structures. Three main strands of interest encompass my research activity: 

• Structural fire engineering
• Analysis of steel structures
• Earthquake engineering

RESEARCH FUNDING

2024 – Present     Research Fund of Coal and Steel “TAPERFRAME - Design of steel portal frames made of web tapered members with and without openings at normal temperature and fire conditions”: 5 partners, total funding 1,502,527.98€; unit funding 254,568.99€ (Unit P.I.)

2022 – Present      CARITRO Foundation “Risk analysis and mitigation criteria of the bridges subjected to fire – FIREBRIDGE”; total funding 54,000€ (P.I.).

2021 – Present      Research Fund of Coal and Steel “FISHWALL - Fire and seismic performances of hybrid fire walls in case of single-storey industrial and commercial steel”: 8 partners, total funding 822,515.79€; unit funding 188,006.67€ (Unit P.I.)

2018 – 2022       Research Fund of Coal and Steel “DISSIPABLE - Fully dissipative and easily repairable devices for resilient buildings with composite steel-concrete structures”: 8 partners, total funding 907,405.82€; unit funding 149,214.90€ (Unit P.I.)

2018 – 2021       Transnational Access Use within the H2020 SERA Project. Access to the ELSA Laboratory at the Joint Research Centre (Ispra, Italy) “EQUFIRE - Multi-hazard performance assessment of structural and non-structural components subjected to seismic and fire following earthquake by means of geographically distributed testing” (Unit P.I.)

2019 – 2021       Autonomous Province of Trento Research Fund “Analysis and methods for the evaluation of the seismic vulnerability of existing school buildings and possible retrofitting according to the Building Code D.M. 17.01.2018”, total funding 80,000€ (P.I.)

2017 – 2018       Research Fund of Coal and Steel “LOCAFIplus Temperature assessment of a vertical steel member subjected to localised fire – Valorisation”: 20 partners, total funding 813,700.65€; unit funding 41,705.80€ (Unit P.I.)

2016 – 2020        HORIZON2020 ITN Marie Skłodowska-Curie “XP-RESILIENCE Extreme loading analysis of petrochemical plants and design of metamaterial-based shields for enhanced resilience”: total funding 3,393,811.98€; unit funding 516,122.64€ (Co-P.I.)

2010 – 2013        FP7 Marie Curie Individual Fellowship COFUND "FIRAS" PAT Post-doc 2009–Outgoing: research project on the resistance of steel and steel-composite structures subjected to fire and seismic loadings, total funding 180,000€ (P.I.)

2023 – Present      Member of the Technical Committee UNI/CT 021/SC 01 “Actions on Structures”, Italian National Unification, UNI.

2023 – Present      Member of the Technical Committee UNI/CT 021/SC 03 “Steel Structures”, Italian National Unification, UNI.

2023 – Present      Member of the Working Group UNI/CT 021/GL 08 “Structural Monitoring”, Italian National Unification, UNI.

2022 – Present      Member of the Working Group UNI/CT 021/GL 01 “Structural Fire Engineering”, Italian National Unification, UNI.

2021 – Present      Corresponding member of the European Convention for Constructional Steelwork (ECCS) Technical Committee 3 “Fire Safety”.

2015 – 2018        Member of the Project Team “Mandate M/515 phase 1 tasks for the development of the 2nd generation of EN Eurocodes. STC1 EN1991-1-2: Actions on structures exposed to fire”, CEN.

2022       Best Teaching Award for the academic year 2020/2021 regarding the course “Design of Steel Structures” Masters Course in Civil Engineering.