1. Mecc in progress
Department of Mechanical Engineering

2. Mecc in progress
Department of Mechanical Engineering

3. Preface p. 1
Since 1863... p. 4
History of the Department of Mechanical Engineering p. 6
Historical Roots p. 6
Recent History p. 7
Facts, Figures, Structure and Perspective p. 9
Research Budget p. 10
Staff p. 11
Scientific Production p. 11
Organization & Management p. 12
Prospects p. 13
Research Activities p. 17
Dynamics and Vibration p. 18
Mechatronics and Smart Structures p. 19
Rail Vehicle Dynamics p. 21
Road Vehicle Dynamics p. 23
Rotordynamics p. 25
Wind Engineering p. 27
Machine and Vehicle Design p. 29
Advanced Design of Mechanical Components p. 29
Structural Integrity and Prognostics p. 30
Ground Vehicle Design and Testing p. 32
Manufacturing and production systems p. 34
Manufacturing Processes p. 34
Manufacturing Systems and Quality p. 37
Materials p. 39
Advanced Materials p. 40
Applied Metallurgy p. 41
Steel Making and Metallurgical Processes p. 43
Measurements p. 44
New Measurement Techniques p. 44
Vision-based Measurements p. 45
Flow-Structure Interaction p. 46
Structural Monitoring p. 46
Measurements for space p. 46
Contents

4. The Reconfigurable Testing Facilities p. 83
The Outdoor Testing and Measuring Facilities p. 83
Manufacturing p. 83
MI_crolab - Micro Machining Lab p. 84
SITEC Laboratory for Laser Application p. 85
Water Jet Lab p. 85
Geometrical Metrology Lab p. 86
Manufacturing System Lab p. 87
Numerical Simulation p. 88
Composite Material Parts and Models p. 89
Tests of Mechanical Components p. 90
Diagnostics Lab p. 90
Gear and Power Transmission Lab p. 92
Complex Tests Lab p. 92
Outdoor Testing p. 93
Measuring Devices and Calibration p. 94
Measuring Lab p. 95
3D vision p. 96
VB Lab p. 97
Quality System p. 98
Consortia and Spin-offs p. 101
Consortia p. 102
Italcertifer p. 102
MUSP p. 103
Spin-Offs p. 104
TIVET p. 104
MCM p. 105
ISS – Innovative Security Solutions p. 105
SmartMechanical-Company p. 106
E-Co p. 107
Teaching Activities p. 108
Bachelor p. 110
Master of Science p. 110
Ph.D. Programme on Mechanical Engineering p. 111
Lifelong Learning p. 113
Contacts p. 113
Electro Mechanical Interaction and Renewable Energy p. 47
Acoustic Measurements p. 47
Rehabilitation Measurements p. 47
Whole Body and Hand Arm Vibration p. 47
Methods and Tools for Product Design p. 48
Virtual Prototyping p. 48
Product Design p. 50
Laboratories p. 53
Automotive and Electric/Hybrid Vehicles p. 54
L.A.S.T. p. 54
Vehicle Dynamics Laboratory p. 56
Electric Drives p. 57
CNC Machine Tools and Computer Aided Manufacturing p. 58
Non-destructive Tests p. 59
Mechatronics and Smart Structures Lab p. 61
Mechatronics Lab p. 61
Robotics Lab p. 63
VAL – Vibroacoustics Lab p. 63
Didactic Laboratories p. 64
Cable Dynamics p. 66
Wind Tunnel p. 68
Haptics and Virtual Prototyping p. 69
Virtual Prototyping Lab p. 69
Reverse Engineering Lab p. 70
Process Metallurgy and Materials Analysis p. 71
Microstructural Investigations and Failure Analysis Lab p. 72
Physco-chemical Bulk and Surface Analyses Lab p. 73
Process Metallurgy Lab p. 74
Characterisation of Materials Lab p. 76
Material Testing p. 77
Mechanical Behaviour of Materials Lab p. 77
High Temperature Properties of Materials Lab p. 79
Railway Engineering p. 81
The Test Bench for Pantograph-Catenary Contact p. 81
The Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Stand for Pantographs p. 81
The Secondary Suspension Test Rig p. 81
The Test Rig to Calibrate Instrumented Wheelssets p. 82
The Rotating Bending Fatigue Test Stend for Railway Axles p. 82

5. Preface
The Politecnico di Milano is a scientific-technological university that trains engineers, architects and
designers. Over 1,200 lecturers and researchers are operative at its Milano-Leonardo, Milano-Bovisa,
Como, Lecco, Cremona, Mantova and Piacenza campuses, attended by 40,000 students.
Since its inception, the Politecnico di Milano has focused on the quality and innovation of its
educational methods and research, developing an ongoing, fruitful relationship with the economic
and productive realities of the country through experimental research and the transfer of technological
know-how. Research, increasingly linked to education, is a priority commitment that allows the
Politecnico di Milano to achieve important results on an international level and to serve as a meeting
point between the university and industries.
One of the most active bodies of the Politecnico di Milano is the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Since 1951 the Department of Mechanical Engineering has been rated one of the top scientific
institutions both at Italian and European level.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering has about a hundred members of academic staff, forty
members in technical and administrative staff, sixty PhD students, as well as 120 temporary research
staff.
Withitsstate-of-the-arttechnologicalinfrastructureand
research facilities, broad theoretical, methodological
and technological knowledge, international reputation
and successful alumni, the overall mission of the
Department of Mechanical Engineering is to deliver
world-class research and education in Mechanical
Engineering, with particular regard to their application
in industrial sectors, such as energy, transportation,
sustainable mobility and advanced manufacturing.
■ Map of the Politecnico di Milano campuses

6. 2 3
The Department’s research activity includes the areas of: system dynamics, road vehicles, product
design, manufacturing technologies and production systems, measurements and product and
material development methods.
Basic research, applied research and innovation are thus key departmental activities. In fact, a
network consisting of over 250 companies acts as a strategic partner for the development of research.
Competitive research projects, as well as those related to product innovation and services, are
developed, accounting for approximately EUR 7 million per year, of which 70% comes from the private
industrial sector and 30% from public funding (National Ministries and European Community).
The Department believes that the excellence of its laboratories plays a key role in the quality of the
research. The facilities in its laboratories are continuously enhanced through significant investments.
Additionally, spin-off companies of the Politecnico di Milano were created for the technological transfer
of the results of research performed by the Department.
Basic research saw the involvement of the Department prevalently in Europe, with active participation
in various Community programmes in all those border subjects in which the methodologies and
technologies inherent in Mechanical Engineering can and must give their contribution to sectors such
as sustainable mobility, energy efficiency, smart materials and virtualization.
In this context the Department is involved in the provision of teaching programmes for the attainment
of B.Sc, M.Sc and PhD degrees in all sectors of Industrial and Design Engineering.
The words of Karl Fisch:
“We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist . . .
using technologies that haven’t been invented . . .
in order to solve problems that we don’t even know are problems yet.”
sum up the guidelines of the Department whose mission is teaching through the use of educational
projects that combine the necessary methodological skills with suitable in-laboratory preparation.
■ Department of Mechanical Engineering, new facilities

7. 5
Over the years the most eminent professors have
included the mathematician Francesco Brioschi
(first Director), Luigi Cremona and Giulio Natta
(Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1963). Among
our most distinguished alumni we can mention
Giovan Battista Pirelli, who founder of the Pirelli
company, and Giò Ponti, an internationally
acclaimed architect.
In Italy, the term “Politecnico” means a
state university offering study programmes
in Engineering Architecture and Industrial
Design. Nowadays, the Politecnico di Milano is
organised into 12 Departments and a network
of 6 Schools, spread out over 7 campuses in the
Lombardy region, with central administration
and management. The Schools are devoted to
education whereas the Departments are devoted
to research.
The educational policy of the Politecnico di
Milano consists in offering different curricula
tailored to suit the needs of the region,
considered one of most developed industrial
areas in Europe.
Overall, approximately 40,000 students are
enrolled at the University, thus making the
Politecnico di Milano the largest institution in
Italy for Engineering, Architecture and Industrial
Design.
The Politecnico di Milano is now ranked as one
of the most outstanding European universities
not only in Engineering, Architecture and
Industrial Design but also in many other
disciplines and is regarded as a leading research
institution worldwide.
In recent years, the Politecnico di Milano has
also strived to develop numerous projects in
collaboration with leading European, American
and Asian Universities. Our Institution offers
a three-year first-level degree (Bachelor of
Science), a two-year second-level degree (Master
of Science), a Ph.D. program and various one-
year post-degree specialization degrees. All these
initiatives are constantly adapted to suit a rapidly
changing industrial and scientific scenario, to
facilitate technological transfer and to help our
graduates feel comfortable in their transition
from University to the working world.
The Politecnico di Milano works in close
cooperation with numerous industrial partners,
as we believe that the alliance between academia
and industry is not only crucial for research, but
also lends credence to our teaching activities.
Our University has always strived for quality and
innovation in teaching methodologies, and has
done so in close collaboration with both foreign
and domestic institutions. In fact, our research
activity constantly influences our teaching and it
is this very link that has allowed the Politecnico
di Milano to achieve top-level scientific results.
The Politecnico di Milano is Italy’s leading university for Engineering,
Architecture and Design. Founded in 1863 by a group of scholars and
entrepreneurs belonging to prominent Milanese families with the purpose
of forging a new generation of executives in a young but rapidly growing
economy, our Alma Mater continues to be the driving force behind social
and economic innovation and growth.
Since 1863...

8. “In recent years, the Faculty has taken steps
to encompass the Institutes and course
subjects of the same degree course, the
aim being to constitute units capable of
heralding the establishment of just as many
university departments, aimed at creating
separate Politecnico di Milano schools ı
.”
ı
Politecnico di Milano, Il centenario del
Politecnico di Milano 1863-1963, Milano, ed. fc,
1964
Historical Roots
Hence, in 1951, the Institute of Mechanical
Engineering and the Construction of
Machinery was established with the merging
of three sections (group of lecturers) which
had, until that time, been separate entities.
The first of these sections encompassed the
lecturers of Meccanica Applicata alle Macchine
(Applied Mechanics), whose subjects had
been taught to the students of Industrial
Engineering during the compulsory course
of Meccanica Industriale e Disegno di Macchine
(Machine Design and Industrial Mechanics)
held by Prof. Giuseppe Colombo. As time
went by, the name of the subject matter
changed several times (in the academic year
1880/1881 the subject of thermodynamics
was added) together with its position
within the study course. In 1914-15 the
lecture course was finally named Meccanica
Applicata alle Macchine (Applied Mechanics).
Prof. Giuseppe Colombo was Rector of
the “Istituto tecnico superiore di Milano”
(former name of Politecnico di Milano)
from 1897 to 1921. In 1921 the role of
Rector was assumed by prof. Cesare
Saldini, who had also been full professor
of Mechanical Technology since 1899 and
emeritus professor since 1921.
Following the nomination of Prof. Ottorino
Sesini to the chair of the Institute of
Mechanical Engineering in 1935, the
teaching programme was changed.
The subject of thermodynamics was
eliminated – becoming the subject of other
courses – and particular emphasis was
placed on the kinematics and dynamics of
machinery.
The second group of lecturers were
teaching the subjects of machine design.
These topics had been initially taught
during the lecture course given by Prof.
Colombo, but then from 1875/76 the
lectures of Elementi delle Macchine (Machine
Elements) became the subject of a separate
course with the institution of a chair initially
tenured by Prof. Giuseppe Ponzio. In 1895,
the name of the course was changed to
Costruzione delle Macchine (Machine Design).
On the death of Prof. Ponzio in 1908 the
course was taken over first by Prof. Federigo
Giordano and subsequently, during
the post Second World War period, by
Prof. Italo Bertolini.
The third group of lecturers were dealing
with another subject. In 1870, Prof.
Giuseppe Colombo decided that it was
worth instituting a lecture course, where first
year students could learn the morphology
of machine elements together with their
graphical representation, before addressing
the dimensioning of machine elements and
their dynamics in the other courses.
The chair of Mechanical Design and
Drawing was then so instituted.
Recent History
In 1951, as previously mentioned, the three
Institutes that offered the above mentioned
courses merged, giving life to one of the first
Italian multi-subject Institutes under the
directorship of Prof. Ottorino Sesini,
who held this position until his retirement
in 1961-62, when it was taken over by
Prof. Italo Bertolini who held the position
until 1969.
The departments of Automotive
Construction and Agricultural Mechanics
– falling under the umbrella of the same
study course – together with Technologies
and Industrial Plants, became a part of the
Institute and were directed by
Prof. Antongiulio Dornig, nominated
director of the institute, following the
retirement of Prof. Bertolini.
In the meantime, in 1965, most of the
Institute had moved to a new building
referred to as “la nave” (the ship), situated in
Via Bonardi. The new location meant that
there was now more space, especially for the
In order to have a better understanding of how the current Department
of Mechanical Engineering and its organization into research lines came
into being, it is necessary to go back fifty years, when, in the centenary
celebration book, the question was already under debate:
History of the Department of Mechanical Engineering
■ An office in the Machine Design Institute
■ Machine Design Didactic laboratory
■ The first Machine Design laboratory
6 7

9. 8
laboratories, thus serving as the first example
of a modern, efficient economy of scale.
At the end of the three year period,
the directorship was handed over to
Prof. Giovanni Bianchi who was
subsequently succeeded, for two mandates,
by Prof. Emilio Massa until his election to
President of the School of Engineering in
1980, when Prof. Bianchi was once again
asked to complete the remainder of the
three year mandate.
Following the entry into force of law no. 382
of 1980, it was finally possible to implement
the long-awaited departmental structure
to which reference had been made in the
centenary book published fifteen years
earlier. Prof. Dornig was elected director of
the Department of Mechanical Engineering
and it was, in fact, under his aegis that
the somewhat complex transition to
administrative autonomy took place, being
finally completed under the auspices of
Prof. Andrea Capello, who served as its new
director during the three-year academic
period between 1984-1987. The transition
was finally completed following the
appointment of Prof. Giuseppe Bernasconi
to director for the three-year academic
period between 1987-1990, an appointment
that he was unable to complete due to his
failing health. In 1989, he was replaced by
Vice-director, Prof. Giorgio Diana, who was
also re-elected for the next three-year period
from 1992 to 1995 and who started the
process of the Department’s move to
the new Bovisa campus.
The task of organizing and implementing
the Department’s move to the Bovisa
campus fell first to Prof. Sergio Sirtori (1995
– 1998) and subsequently to his successor,
Prof. Marzio Falco (1998-2001). In fact,
it was at the Bovisa campus that the
IV School of Engineering (Scuola
di Ingegneria Industriale) was established,
thus marking the creation of those
“separate Politecnico di Milano Schools”
clearly envisaged seven years earlier.
However, misfortune struck once again
when the director of the Department,
Prof. Falco, died after a long illness.
In 2000/2001, Prof. Giorgio Diana was
called in to complete the task started by his
colleague, bringing it full cycle during the
next two mandates which lasted until 2007
when he was forced to resign following
the entry into force of new laws which
prevented him from performing different
institutional roles. During these years,
the Department opened new laboratory
facilities and a wind tunnel and increased its
participation in European Union research
projects. The research budget boosted the
Department to the top-level ranking which
it still holds today.
Prof. Diana was succeeded by Prof.
Ferruccio Resta who opened the new head
office. The Department then went on to
inaugurate new laboratories (Mechatronics,
Micromechanics). In 2008, based on an
international peer review of the Politecnico
di Milano, the Department of Mechanical
Engineering obtained one of the highest
ratings in the overall ranking.
Facts, Figures,
Structure and Perspective
■ The opening ceremony of the new building
of the Department of Mechanical Engineering
in the Bovisa Campus (2008)

10. 11
This development, supported in a virtuous loop by R&D projects, is the backbone of our success
in competitive funding, thus making us one of the biggest Departments of Mechanical Engineering
in Europe boasting both critical mass and top-level competencies in different research areas.
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
k€ 2817 k€ 3682 k€ 3869 k€ 4335 k€ 5299 k€ 5843 k€ 5718 k€ 4467 Private
k€ 1042 k€ 1299 k€ 749 k€ 1024 k€ 710 k€ 1166 k€ 1453 k€ 1227 EU
k€ 414 k€ 655 k€ 593 k€ 306 k€ 519 k€ 626 k€ 1338 k€ 309 Public
k€ 295 k€ 238 k€ 232 k€ 204 k€ 130 k€ 87 k€ 111 k€ 53 Teaching
k€ 4569 k€ 5875 k€ 5444 k€ 5870 k€ 6658 k€ 7722 k€ 8621 k€ 6056 Total
Research Budget
The vision behind our development and organization is that top-level
research in Mechanical Engineering is based on the excellence of
experimental skills, modern laboratories and specialised equipment
together with an adequate number of research staff. In particular, our
permanent staff (98 resources) are currently working on research and R&D
projects in collaboration with 50% of our PhD students, while an additional
40% of temporary research assistants have been hired for specific projects,
with an allocated lab space of approx. 35 sq.m. per person. Administrative
and technical services are guaranteed by a service staff of more than 40
people.
Our presence and success on the
competitive ‘research market’ is also
based on scientific visibility and a solid
international presence. The full-time
researchers and academic staff are
committed to a high level of scientific
production with the publication of papers
in ISI or Scopus journals (a total of 377
in the past four years) and widespread
participation at international conferences
(a total of 915 papers have been presented
over the past four years). Furthermore,
over the past four years, 17 international
and 20 national patents have been filed by
members of the department. In addition
to publishing, departmental staff sit on
the board of 13 international journals and
scientific societies. Between 2009-2010,
the full-time staff received as many as 12
international awards for scientific activity.
Particular emphasis is placed on the
scientific output of young researchers:
since 2005, special awards have been
yearly given to the top researchers, i.e.
those boasting the highest number of
publications.The research budget comes from different
sources, the biggest contribution are the R&D
projects with private companies (approx. 75%)
followed by EU projects.
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
9000
8000
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
Year
Teaching
Public
K€ EU projects
Private
Professors and researchers 98
Technical staff 26
Administrative staff 18
Research assistants 51
PhD students 58
Staff
Scientific Production
10
■ The staff of the Department of Mechanical Engineering
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
Year
Natl. Conferences
Int. Conferences
ISI/Scopus Journals
Number of papers
0 50 100 150 200 250 300

11. 12 13
The academic staff of the Department of Mechanical Engineering are organised into 6 research
lines corresponding to the main groups of subjects offered in the curricula:
■ Dynamics and Vibrations;
■ Machine and Vehicle Design;
■ Manufacturing and Production Systems;
The various research lines, coordinated by
a leader, deal with research activities and
coordinate the teaching activities for courses
falling under the umbrella of the same
discipline.
The council, comprised by all the members
of the academic staff, together with a
delegation of PhD students and technical-
administrative personnel, discusses and
approves the administrative acts and
deliberates upon the assignment of
resources and strategies proposed by the
Scientific Committee.
The Head of the Department is responsible
for administrative management and the
management of services and is supported
by the Department Scientific Committee.
The Head of the Scientific Committee
is responsible for strategic management.
The Head of the Department is the legal
representative of the Department, dealing
not only with all administrative and
Organization & Management
Scientific Committee
RLDynamics
andVibration
RLMachine
andVehicleDesign
RLManufacturingand
ProductionSystems
RLMaterials
RLMeasurements
RLMethodsandTools
forProductDesign
Board
HEAD OFFICE
COUNCIL
■ Materials;
■ Measurements;
■ Methods and Tools for Product Design.
institutional matters but also with research
contracts. Furthermore, the Director
is also responsible for implementing
the deliberations made by members of
the board, for coordinating the various
administrative acts necessary for the
research and educational activities of the
research lines and for the supervision of
departmental services. The Director is also
personally responsible for putting forward
the motions proposed by the Department at
Academic Senate meetings.
The Department Board, consisting of
members of the academic staff and
personnel responsible for Departmental
services, a Deputy Director and an
Administrative Manager, prepares the
budget, implements and develops the
various deliberations made by members
of the board and coordinates the strategic
services of the Department (educational
curricula, handouts and website).
The Scientific Committee, coordinated
by a chairman, is constituted by one
representative per research line as well
as a director and a deputy director.
The Scientific Committee is responsible for
harmonizing various research activities;
it proposes the allocation of resources
among the research lines, assesses planning
and the research results of the various
research lines and prepares an annual
summary of the Department’s scientific
output.
Despite the attempts made on an
International level (The Future of
Mechanical Engineering 2028, ASME),
it still remains difficult to give a long-term
forecast of the evolution of the world of
research with which the Department of
Mechanical Engineering should interact,
even though it is possible to share several
areas of common focus:
• the world of mechanical engineering
is continually evolving towards hybrid
scenarios thanks to the continual influx
of contributions from related sectors;
• research, in the specific areas of mechanics,
is increasingly associated with similar,
interdisciplinary themes such as sustainable
mobility, transport, energy, materials and
design.
• technologies and methodologies are
continually evolving and, as a consequence,
so are their applications.
Examples of these changes are: the evolution
of the Automotive world with hybrid traction
systems; the evolution of machines towards
mechatronic systems; the evolution of
metallic materials to composite and smart
materials and of working processes to eco-
compatible and energy efficient production
systems right up to continuous and systematic
product innovation.
Even the research market, against which
the Department is continually forced
to match itself, changes on a daily basis.
Now that the European Community
has become a key player and European
industry holds an extra weapon in terms
Prospects

12. 14
of innovation, new developing realities are
increasingly becoming the order of the day.
Within this context, the Department of
Mechanical Engineering aims at maintaining
its dual role as a research structure and
as teaching, by pursuing its objective of
acting as a reference point in all those
fields constituting mechanical engineering
on a national level; of strengthening
international leadership in several research
sectors in which it excels, of availing itself
of sustainable, efficient and technologically
advanced research laboratories and, finally,
of guaranteeing sustainable and flexible
research in new, unexplored sectors.
To achieve its mission and the goals set,
over the past five years, the Department has
invested in unique, high-quality experimental
laboratories which have enabled it to
establish collaboration programmes with the
private sector and to participate in European
and national research projects, by providing
the tools for basic research.
The Department has thus strengthened its
fund- raising abilities with basic and applied
research projects for over EUR 7 million of
which 70% comes from the private sector
and 30% from the EU and the public
funding. In particular, several key activities
include:
• participation in 24 projects of the Seventh
framework programmes;
• obtainment of financing from the Ministry
of Economic Development for many
projects in the field of Sustainable Mobility,
Energy Efficiency and Made-in-Italy;
• successful application to 12 R & D projects
financed by Regione Lombardia in the last
two years;
• establishment of partnerships with
other organisations of the Politecnico
di Milano for projects involving large
Italian and European industries such
as, AgustaWestland, EDF, ENI, ENEL,
PIRELLI and for important infrastructure
projects such as the activation of high speed
railway lines;
• establishment of the first national centre
on railway transportation in partnership
with Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, Trenitalia,
ABB, Ansaldo Breda, Bombardier and
Fondazione Politecnico di Milano (Joint
Research Centre);
• participation in various projects financed
by the Regione Lombardia and Emilia
Romagna.
Furthermore, the Department of Mechanical
Engineering has upgraded activities related
to technological transfer and the promotion
of research, with participation in privately-
owned consortiums (Italcertifer with the
companies of the FS group and MUSP with
the main industrial realities in the machine
tool sector); additionally, five spin –offs
(T.I.Ve.T, MCM, ISS, SmatMechanical-
Company and E-Co) have been established.
Over the past few years, the Department has
invested in the growth and training of young
researchers thanks to the internal financing
of “Young Researcher” projects such as:
• SMILE: Shape Memory alloy Integration
in Light weight thin Elements. The use
of SMA for light composites with a high
damping (SMILE). The aim of the project
is to develop a new concept composite
15
material characterised by a high damping/
weight coefficient ratio. The composite
consists of a polymeric matrix and a thin
sheet of shape memory material, suitably
micro-worked using a “mesh” geometry
and drowned in the matrix.
• Hy-LAP: The mechanical behaviour of
hybrid joints of thin sheets in a light alloy.
The project is based on the
characterisation, the micrographic analysis
and the static and fatigue mechanical
behaviour of hybrid joints obtained by
means of ultrasound welding and the
gluing of light alloy sheets.
• PhoCUs: Study of a concentration
photovoltaic system for urban environments
and the creation of a reduced prototype.
The idea is to create a modular component
based on Fresnel lenses (or similar lenses
with a low visual impact) that allows for the
development, even in urban environments,
of high-efficiency photovoltaic systems
using multijoint cells of spatial derivation.
• LODYNA: Creation of a dynamometric
scale with Bragg Fibres in a composite
material. The aim of the project is the
design of a dynamometric scale featuring
high mechanical characteristics (in terms
of an optimum stiffness/density ratio
with respect to metallic alloys) and good
measurement performance (fewer signal
measurement disturbances, especially
in aggressive environments and an
advantageous cost/channel ratio).
• Modelling, design and control of
Eddy Current Separation systems
(ECS) for car scrap recycling:
Recycling of End-of-Life Vehicles is
becoming more and more important due
to environmental aspects, legislation and
due to concerns about the availability of

13. 16
Research Activities
scarce materials. Therefore, there is need
to increase the efficiency of separation
processes (recovery and grade) for complex
material mixtures. This project focuses on
the Eddy Current Separation technique for
separating non-ferrous
metal from non-metal particles
in recycling systems. A multi-body,
multi-particle simulation model of the
process is developed that is able to simulate
inter-particle interactions and impacts that
typically decrease the separation efficiency.
• Self sensing and Self actuating
Composite Structures: The aim of the
project is to study, develop and demonstrate
the technological feasibility of composite
smart structures with embedded sensors
and integrated actuation. Main application
areas of research are those of mechanics,
structures and vehicles.
• Sure3D: Reliability and uncertainty of 3D
vision-based measurements. The main goal
of this project is to develop a technique
to quickly and reliably quantify the
uncertainty in 3D vision-based measuring
systems in the full working volume; the
final aim is to improve the measuring
performances of such devices.
• Dynamic and fatigue life
characterisation of hyperelastic and
viscoelastic materials: hyperelasic and
viscoelastic materials (rubber like materials)
have a very complex behaviour both in
terms of dynamical response and of fatigue
life. This research project aims to realise a
testing device able to perform dynamic and
fatigue tests on such materials in uniaxial
and multiaxial strain conditions in the
frequency range between 0 and 50 Hz.
The tests will provide valuable data in order
to better understand the behaviour of such
materials.
■ Examples of fatigue failure for hybrid lap joints
obtained by ultrasonic spot welding and adhesive
bonding
■ The “Formula Student” vehicle during a competition
■ Tests to quantify the distribution of the uncertainty
of 3D vision-based systems
Last but not least, the Department also
offers ongoing support to its students not
only through teaching activities involving the
continuous use of experimental laboratories
but also through initiatives such as Formula
Student and the Shell Eco Marathon.

14. 18
The research staff is organised into 6 different research lines, which
refer to the 6 main disciplines taught at the Department. Governance
and coordination of the different areas and the scientific strategy of the
Department is managed by the Director with the support of a Scientific
Committee, while the different RLs are autonomous in terms of fund-
raising and research strategy/opportunities.
Dynamics and Vibration
The research line “Dynamics and
Vibrations” focuses attention on the linear
and non-linear dynamic behaviour of
mechanical systems and machines. Problems
addressed include mechanical vibrations
and stability, active and semi-active
control of mechanical systems, condition
monitoring and diagnostics of machinery
and vehicles, fluid-structure interaction
problems and the dynamics of rotating
and reciprocating machines.
The approach to these problems is based on
the integration of advanced modelling and
simulation techniques, e.g. multi-body/finite
element methods, as well as experiments
performed either using cutting-edge
laboratory facilities, such as the low-
turbulence & boundary layer wind tunnel,
or directly in the field.
The research line is split into five main
research groups:
• Mechatronics and Smart Structures:
deals with the active and semi-active
control of mechanical systems, smart
and embedded systems, Micro-Electro-
Mechanical Systems (MEMS) (both
actuators and sensors) and energy
harvesting devices, innovative robotic
applications;
• Rail vehicle dynamics: deals with
the study of dynamics, vibration, safety,
damage, condition-based monitoring
and active control in railway vehicles
and in the railway infrastructure;
• Road vehicle dynamics: deals with
vehicle dynamics (performance, comfort,
handling, aerodynamics), vehicle passive
and active controls, tyres, hybrid/electric
vehicles;
• Rotordynamics: deals with the
dynamics, vibration, condition monitoring
and diagnostic problems of rotating
machines;
• Wind Engineering: deals with fluid-
induced vibration and fluid structure
interaction, including the aerodynamics
and aeroelasticity of long span bridges and
tall buildings and the aerodynamics of sails,
vehicles and wind turbines;
all of which are at the leading edge of
international state-of-art in their respective
fields.
Future research trends will be directed
towards developing lighter, smarter, more
reliable and more environmentally friendly
machines / vehicles and, more specifically,
towards the theme of energy production,
with particular emphasis on new
technologies for wind turbines and energy
harvesting devices and the enhancement
of performances of rotating machinery in
power plants, condition monitoring and
diagnostics.
Mechatronics and Smart Structures
The Research Group “Mechatronics and
Smart Structures” deals with subjects
ranging from the dynamics of active and
semi-active mechanical systems to the
adopted drives and the necessary electronic
control boards, from control logics to sensor
and actuation technologies, from the design
of sensor nodes to the realisation of fully
actuated smart structures and intelligent
robotics.
This multidisciplinary approach allows
innovative research to be carried out from
a truly mechatronic point of view and to
cooperate fruitfully with other research
areas. For presentation purposes,
the research subjects can be divided into
four main topics:
■ Innovative Drives and Sensors
The focus is on simulation, design and
production of drives and sensors boasting
innovative features and performance
standards (such as high voltage and/or high
performances and/or high efficiency), based
on the use of new and smart materials,
having micro and nano dimensions.
In addition, innovative convertors, converter
topologies and modulation strategies,
distributed generation policies and related
control strategies are also investigated.
19
■ Dynamics and Vibrations;
■ Machine and Vehicle Design;
■ Manufacturing and Production
Systems;
■ Materials;
■ Measurements;
■ Methods and Tools
for Product Design.
■ Calibration of a custom data logger
for ski applications with an integrated
9 dof IMU platform and four load cells
using a miniaturised Stewart platform.

15. 20 21
■ Smart Structures
and Systems
Further improvements in terms
of performance, safety, LCC
and reliability of mechanical
systems may be obtained by
transforming these systems
into mechatronic ones. Thus,
research focuses both on the
development of innovative
control algorithms, in presence
of concentrated/distributed
sensors and actuators, and on
the re-design of traditional
systems with integrated sensing and
intelligence.
For this purpose, wireless sensor nodes for
monitoring as well as smart fully integrated
actuators for active vibration damping of
slender and low damped components/
structures have been developed. Research
is also carried out on energy harvesting
devices of various natures (mechanical,
electro-dynamic, piezoelectric, etc.) in order
to provide the energy required by these
sensors and actuators.
■ Robotics
Self-assembling, self-optimising, self-learning
and fault tolerant autonomous systems
and cooperating robots are studied both
theoretically through numerical models
and experimentally through in-field tests.
This expertise, obtained in over 30 years
of activity, is applied to several applications
ranging from space robots (e.g. the Ladyfly
project), to environmental protection
projects (e.g. Cleanwings system for
automated intelligent bins) and safety robots
(e.g. the DeeDee system). Also low cost
robotic platforms for the interaction with
human workers are being investigated
and tested.
■ Sports and Biomechanics
The know-how gained in simulation
(multibody approach), design (structural
response of composite materials) and testing
(aerodynamic behaviour tested in the wind
tunnel) is fully exploited when it comes to
optimise sports devices and materials as well
as the athlete’s posture, motion and training.
Combining this know-how with
the knowledge gained in the field of
robotics, frontier research is being carried
out in the field of human – machine
interface and interaction (ergonomics),
both from a hardware and software point
of view: new designs and new products
are being developed for exoskeletons,
artificial limbs and organs for the functional
rehabilitation of disabled people as well as
for capability enhancement.
Rail Vehicle Dynamics
The Railway Dynamics unit carries out
research on the dynamic behaviour of
railway vehicles and their interaction with
the infrastructure. Research is targeted
at the dynamics, vibration and durability
problems of railway vehicles and their
interaction with the infrastructure.
Theoretical investigation is backed by
extensive use of laboratory and field testing
facilities.
Research links have been established
with some of the leading research groups
worldwide. The research group also benefits
from interaction with and funding from
some of the main industrial stakeholders
in Italy and Europe and took part in 18
research projects funded by the EC within
the last three Framework Programmes (FP5
to FP7). The group is also involved in the
activities of the Joint Research Centre (JRC)
on railway transport, an industry-academia
cooperation established by Fondazione
Politecnico in 2008, bringing together a
number of key national and international
companies in the field of railway transport.
Research is currently being conducted in
five main areas:
■ Mathematical modelling and the
experimental investigation of rail vehicle
running dynamics and train-track
interaction
Innovative approaches to the study of
rail vehicle running dynamics and train-
track-bridge interaction are introduced.
Mathematical modelling research addresses
the detailed description of vehicle and track
flexibility effects and improved models for
wheel-rail contact and for wheel and rail
wear. Simulation methods were validated
by comparisons with line measurements on
vehicles of different classes and on a full
scale roller rig, including one of the very few
published full scale experiments on wheelset
derailment. In this area, a researcher from
the group co-authored an invited
State-of-the-Art paper presented
at the IAVSD 2011 Symposium.
■ Wheel flange climb tests performed on
the BU300 roller rig at Lucchini
■ Instrumented rowing ergometer for improved training

16. 2322
■ Pantograph-catenary interaction
The unit holds a world leading position
in the modelling and simulation of
pantograph-catenary interaction.
Work in this area included the participation
to the FP6 EUROPAC project and
the FP7 Pantotrain project, involving
the development of new modelling
techniques and hardware-in-the-loop hybrid
simulation. The research group has recently
promoted an international benchmark on
the simulation of pantograph-catenary
interaction, which sees the participation
of 13 universities and research centres
across 3 continents. Research work also
covers electrical and tribological issues
in pantograph-catenary contact, a major
research instrument being the full-scale
test bench for pantograph-catenary
contact which simulates contact between
the pantograph and the contact wire
under variable mechanical and electrical
conditions, i.e. contact force, sliding speed
and electrical current flow.
High speed pantograph aerodynamics is
also investigated, with intensive use
of the PoliMi wind tunnel.
■ Mechatronics of railway vehicles
Active control applications are studied as a
means to improve rail vehicle performance,
safety and ride quality. Focus is set on the
active suspension control to improve vehicle
stability and curving behaviour, active
control of airspring secondary suspensions,
active steering and active pantograph
control. In this field, researchers from
the Railway Dynamics unit co-authored
invited State-of-the-Art papers presented
at the IAVSD 2007 Symposium and at the
Railway 2012 Conference.
■ Condition monitoring and diagnostics
of railway vehicles and tracks
The research group has been involved in
an extensive research project targeted at
the homologation and condition based
monitoring of the Italian high-speed
network. Furthermore, within the context of
the JRC activities, three research projects,
dealing with the monitoring of traction
equipment, pantograph diagnostics and
the early detection of instability based on
bogie vibration measurements, are currently
under way.
■ Aerodynamics in railway vehicles
Research on this topic deals with various
aerodynamic effects on high-speed trains.
Research entails the use of the Low-
Turbulence & Boundary-Layer Wind-
Tunnel and of advanced Computational
Fluid Dynamics simulation techniques.
Researchers from the group have also been
involved in investigations on a European
level to revise the Technical Specifications
for Interoperability. In this field, a
researcher from the Railway Dynamics
research group has co-authored an invited
State-of-the-Art paper presented
at the IAVSD 2009 Symposium.
Road Vehicle Dynamics
The Research Group on road vehicles
deals with the modelling and experimental
analysis of passenger cars, heavy vehicles,
farm tractors and motorcycles exploring
both mechanical and electronic aspects.
Research links have been established with
important automotive companies. The
research is organised into five application
topics.
■ Vehicle modelling and testing
Several numerical Multi-Body models
were developed using both commercial
codes and general purpose software for
vehicle dynamic simulation, allowing the
optimization of performance, handling and
ride comfort as well as the design of new
actively controlled subsystems.
In particular, a 14 degrees-of-freedom
real-time car model (including a race driver
model) was developed for Hardware-In-
the-Loop simulations and Rapid Control
Prototyping. Moreover, a model of a
heavy vehicle was developed to evaluate
load spectra on axles, tyre wear and the
effect of sloshing. Models of farm tractors
were implemented considering the soil
deformability.
Innovative models of subsystems (braking
system, hydraulic power steering system,
power train, bushing, semi-active dampers)
were also developed and integrated within
vehicle models.
All simulation models were validated
through comparison with experimental
data using the indoor and outdoor facilities
of the Department. Among these, an
instrumented vehicle (dynamometric hubs,
braking pressure transducers, inertial
gyroscopic platform, vehicle speed and
sideslip angle optical sensor, dynamometric
steering wheel and accelerometers) was
set up for full scale tests, a Hardware-In-
the-Loop test bench was developed to
investigate performance of ABS and ESP
control units and ad hoc test benches were
designed and built to analyse the behaviour
of vehicle subsystems. For motorcycles, an
innovative measuring system was set up
to assess the relative movements between
driver and bike.
■ Tyre modelling and testing
Thanks to a long lasting cooperation with
Pirelli Tyre, a 3D rigid ring tyre model was
developed for both comfort and handling
analyses also accounting for the contact
patch dynamics. Several experimental
indoor and outdoor tests were performed to
validate it. In order to be able to correctly
predict both passive and active vehicle
performances, the tyre model was integrated
■ Hardware-in-the-Loop test rig
for pantograph-catenary interaction
■ Scheme of the condition-based monitoring system
installed on the ETR500 Y1 experimental train

17. 25
into different vehicle models. A further
development of the model is presently
underway to be able to better predict F1
tyre behaviour.
A deformable tyre model was implemented
to be able to predict the dynamics of
agricultural vehicles taking into account
the tread pattern design and the soil
deformation.
Two projects (Cyber Wheel and Cyber
Tyre in cooperation with Pirelli Tyre) were
carried out with the aim of turning the
tyre into a sensor to provide active control
systems with additional information. Several
algorithms were developed and patented
to estimate contact forces, grip margin and
hydroplaning risk.
■ Aerodynamics
The aerodynamics of several heavy vehicles
(high sided lorry, tractor and semi-trailer
combination, tanked truck) have been
studied within the WEATHER EU Project
(in collaboration with the Universities
of Birmingham and Nottingham). The
overturning risk associated with cross wind
has been studied by means of numerical
multibody - CFD coupled simulations as
well as experimental tests performed in the
wind tunnel of Politecnico di Milano where
different atmospheric boundary layers
and scenarios were reproduced.
■ Active control systems
Actively controlled subsystems were
designed and developed aimed at improving
vehicle stability, performance and ride
comfort: a semi-active differential (currently
equipping F430) was developed in
cooperation with Ferrari. A Brake Torque
Vectoring control logic was designed to
enhance vehicle performance; semi-active
dampers were employed to improve ride
comfort, while active camber control and
suspensions with active kinematics were
developed to enhance vehicle handling
performance. Active suspensions were also
applied to prevent rollover of heavy vehicles
induced by cross wind and sloshing.
■ Hybrid / electric vehicles
Researchers have been involved and are
presently working on several projects and
activities with hybrid/ electric vehicles:
optimisation of delivery management
with electric commercial vehicles in
Milan, hybridisation of a city car and of
a commercial 3.5 ton van (from design
to prototype), modelling and energy flow
analysis in high performance hybrid cars
and heavy duty operating machines and the
study of full electric retrofit for Alfa Mito.
In this research field different international
patents were issued.
Rotordynamics
This Research Group focuses on general
problems inherent to real rotating
machinery and traces an ideal path that:
• starts with the mechanical design of the
rotor and its related components;
• passes through the set-up of the machine
and related start-up problems;
• continues with condition monitoring
of the machine;
• eventually ends with the diagnosis and
identification of possible faults, with special
attention being paid to the early detection
of faults.
This general approach is devoted to
discovering methods and models that
are, in any case, related to both real and
industrial applications, with follow-up of
the experimental validation of the theory.
The use of specially designed test-rigs or
actual case studies and data obtained from
industrial partners usually means that
validation is based on well-grounded data.
Furthermore, it is also worth pointing out
that the test-rigs employed and described
hereinafter are of a fairly large scale and
designed to simulate the behaviour of either
real machines or real components.
■ Fully instrumented vehicle for testing innovative
control logics
■ Roller Bearing failure
■ Rotor of an industrial steam turbine
24

18. 2726
In order to cover the topics of the research
line, four main research themes are
operative:
• simulation of the dynamic behaviour of
industrial rotating machines;
• identification and diagnosis of industrial
rotating machines and their components;
• condition monitoring of industrial rotating
machines;
• dynamic behaviour of rotating machine
components, such as roller and oil-film
bearing, blades etc.
Thanks to the support of industrial partners
producing rotating machinery and their
components, great expertise has been
gained with various design problems and
different types of motors, turbines for power
generation (hydraulic, steam and gas) or
special high-speed machines, such as multi-
shaft geared compressors, turbo-molecular
pumps or atomizers. In all these cases,
simulation models and specific software
tools have been successfully developed
and industrially tested.
Conversely, with partners involved in
the use of rotating machinery, operating
problems have been investigated among
which effective condition monitoring is the
most important in order to avoid impending
failures or malfunctions (which, in some
cases, could be potentially catastrophic or
very dangerous) or, in the event of a failure
or malfunction occurring, to quickly identify
and repair it.
These two requirements are a valid reason
to create a service system dealing with
condition monitoring, bearing diagnostics,
balancing and on-site problem solving based
on individual customer requirements, the
aim being to define specific alarm criteria
and to develop a model based method for
fault identification, mainly in the frequency
domain. Not only does this method have
the advantage of identifying the type
of fault but also its severity (such as, for
example, unbalance or crack depth) as well
as location along the shaft-line (e.g. which
bearing suffered a failure or which sealing
is too tight or badly assembled thus causing
friction when the machine is subjected
to critical speeds during run-ups
or coast-downs).
Wind Engineering
Research on “Wind Engineering” is one
of the cornerstones of the Department of
Mechanical Engineering. Initiated in 1970
by Prof. Giorgio Diana it focuses on cables,
suspension bridges and wind-induced
dynamics. A major advance was recently
made thanks to unique opportunities offered
by the “Low-Turbulence & Boundary-Layer
Wind-Tunnel”, facility realised through
the key role of the Department’s Wind Eng.
Research Group. The wide spectrum of
experimental applications offered by the
Wind Tunnel (buildings and large structures,
trains, vehicles, sails and high Reynolds
Number base research) resulted also in
the development of new research topics.
The strength of the Research Group is
the availability of a top-class experimental
facility combined with the Department’s
strong tradition in numerical modelling
of structure and systems dynamics.
The combined experimental-numerical
approach allows original contributions,
recognised at international level, to be
provided in a multidisciplinary approach to
Wind Engineering applied to the fields of
Structure Dynamics, Mechanical Systems
Vibrations, Vehicle System Dynamics and
Sailboats design.
The research is focused on developing
powerful numerical models allowing for
predictive analysis of wind-structure
interaction problems, always supported
by experimental validation. The CFD
approach is also a research branch
of increasing interest, focused on the
physical insight and parametric analysis
of the experimental approach. Finally,
the reliability of predictive numerical
simulations is always validated by specific
wind-tunnel procedures and full scale
testing.
The Research Group is organised into six
application topics:
■ Bridge Wind Engineering:
the most significant example is the
aerodynamic design of the Messina
Suspension Bridge. Predictive simulation
of bridge dynamics and stability due
to turbulent wind relying on innovative
numerical approaches based on and
validated by experimental Wind-Tunnel
■ Test rig for static and dynamic characterization
of journal bearings
■ Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel tests
on Cable-Stayed bridge aeroelastic model
(Forth Replacement Crossing)

19. 2928
techniques. Internationally recognised
originality and effectiveness of innovative
aerodynamic solutions and research
approaches proposed for super long span
bridges already applied in state of the art
structures (Stonecutters Bridge deck section,
Hong Kong).
■ Cable Wind Interaction:
internationally recognised know-how
resulting in worldwide extensively used
numerical methods developed to define
wind-induced cable vibrations. The research
team has been responsible for innovative
cable structures wind interaction design,
including the Java-Bali and Gibraltar
undersea crossing, the Yang-Tze and
Orinoco overhead crossing, the London-
Eye, etc..
■ Wind Engineering in High Rise Buildings:
state of the art research activities and
expertise in the field of high rise buildings
and large flexible roofs, taking advantage of
a superior Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel
and a well established structure dynamics
expertise.
■ Vehicle Wind Interaction:
strong synergies between wind tunnel
experimental techniques and numerical
modelling in road and railway vehicle-
dynamics with advantageous applications
to the critical safety-related problem of
high-speed-trains and vehicles in cross-
flow, resulting in the recent definition
of “Technical Specifications for
Interoperability” (TSI) of international
relevance.
■ Sailboat applications: wind-tunnel tests
on the sails of America’s Cup boats, taking
advantage of unique experimental facilities
(twisted flow) rated among the three most
representative in the world (together with
Auckland and Southampton).
■ Wind Turbines Aerodynamics:
experimental and numerical CFD LES
approaches taking advantage of fully
controlled scaled model wind turbines
allowing understanding of boundary
layer, wakes and orography effects. An
innovative active real time controlled test
rig is available for simulation of the wave-
structure-wind interaction on off-shore wind
turbine models.
This research area is devoted to advanced
design methods and structural integrity of
mechanical components. These activities
are the subject of important contracts
and grants from European Union.
This research line aims to study both basic
and general topics such as multiaxial low
and high cycle fatigue prediction criteria,
assessment of the structural integrity
of cracked elements, the behaviour of
materials in extreme conditions (low
temperature, impacts), damage of
composite materials and adhesives, with
the integration of advanced design methods
for mechanical systems and components
(metal replacements, automotive
subsystems, railway components,
helicopter components, energy...).
Advanced Design
of Mechanical Components
The field of advanced mechanical
components and machine design involves
a number of different objectives and new
developments: increasing lightness and
reliability, designing customised materials
and reducing environmental impact.
The achievement of all of these goals
involves an in-depth knowledge of new
design methods, optimum use of materials
and of the mechanical behaviour of
materials.
The basic topics developed by thee
Advanced design research group are related
to fracture and /or damage mechanics of
materials, both composite materials (short
and long fibre reinforced polymer matrices)
and special metal alloys and the effect of
surface treatments on the fatigue behaviour
of materials. All these topics are developed
both by means of extensive experimental
investigations – carried out in dedicated
laboratories – and in-depth theoretical
and numerical studies, involving the
development of numerical models.
The advanced design of gears and
mechanical transmissions puts its basis in
these basic studies. The main focus is on
increasing the system reliability, particularly
in order to increase its fatigue life and to
reduce the environmental impact (reduced
noise emissions and higher efficiency).
Noise emissions have been studied by
implementing experimental techniques
to measure transmission errors and noise
emission levels and by developing a software
to predict transmission errors.
The application of fatigue prediction
approaches to composite materials and
adhesive joints for the construction
of mechanical components is another
relevant research topic. Several
■ High Speed Train aerodynamics: wind tunnel
tests of cross-wind effects on a moving vehicle
■ Sailboat testing using the twisted
flow experimental facility
■ CFD-Large Eddy
Simulation of wind turbine
- atmospheric boundary
layer interaction
Machine and Vehicle Design
■ Fatigue crack propagation in an adhesive
composite joint

20. 3130
ratcheting, RCF). The latest developments
in this area include dedicated tests and
analyses for corrosion-fatigue impact
on axle durability and NDT inspections
(RSSB-T728 and WOLAXIM projects).
Research partners in this field are: i)
BAM (Germany), IWM (Germany);
TWI (UK) and METU (Tr).
Regarding the mechanical behaviour of
materials is the life and integrity assessment
of turbine and aircraft components,
within the framework of important EU
projects (MANHIRP, PREMECCY), an
in-depth knowledge on the mechanical
characterisation and modelling at high
temperatures under low-cycle fatigue,
on multiaxial fatigue on the propagation
of long and short cracks and on the
mechanical behaviour at a high strain rate
has been acquired. The material models
developed were subsequently incorporated
into prognostics software for the life
prediction of aero-engine parts (project
E-Break), helicopter rotor and fuselage parts
and turbine components.
The application of advanced methods for
life evaluation and prognostic (flaw and
defect tolerance, ballistic and vulnerability
assessment) purposes has been considered
for developing helicopter components.
In this field, thanks to several research
projects (HECTOR and ASTYANAX
projects for the European Defence Agency),
the application of Health and Usage
Monitoring Systems and the definition
of prognostic approaches, involving both
metallic (Al and Ti alloys) and composite
materials (sandwich and composite
structures), used for the construction
of fuselages and rotor components
(in cooperation with SINTEF (No) and
the University of Patras (Gr)), have also
been developed.
applications are related to this research
field, the construction of a prototype
bus for the European project LITEBUS,
the construction and optimisation
of automotive components (clutch
pedals...) with particular emphasis on
the environmental impact and materials
recycling and the optimisation
of trans-tibial protheses with specific
importance given to comfort, reliability
and cost-effectiveness.
Demanding applications (CRFP composite
booms, impact resistance of CFRP,
prognostics and resistance of hybrid joints)
are the topic of the regional project
STIMA Studies on the mechanical
behaviour of steels and alloys under
extreme conditions have been undertaken
to improve the reliability of piping used
for oil and gas transportation.
Structural Integrity and Prognostics
The methods developed to analyse
the mechanical behaviour of materials
(fracture mechanics, short cracks and
damage mechanics) are the basis for
the development of new methods for
the structural integrity assessment of
structural and mechanical components.
The application of a fitness for purpose
assessment (flaw acceptance, welded joints,
crack propagation and thermo-mechanical
loads) of mechanical components under
service conditions is the basis for many
applications in this area; service life and
development of life tests for hydraulic
components, flaw assessment in gas
cylinders, service life of earthmoving
components, residual life of pressure
vessel components with defects and
thermo-mechanical stress cycles
on heating components.
In the field of the structural integrity
assessment of railway components, some
research projects are currently active
(EURAXLES, SUSTRAIL), whose key
topic is the estimation of the propagation
lifetime and its impact on inspection
intervals and design criteria for axle safety.
Improving the durability of railway axles by
cold-rolling has been the topic of the project
MARAXIL (cooperation with IWM).
Important research findings with the EU
cooperations (TC24 of ESIS – European
Structural Integrity Society) have been
a significant scale effect in crack growth
(directly tested on a dedicated full-scale
test bench) and a set of SIF solutions for
typical axle geometries. Other important
applications have been made in the area
of wheelset integrity (bogie frame, wheels)
using specific analysis tools for different
damage mechanisms (fatigue of welds,
■ Fatigue testing of a composite rod
■ Ballistic impact simulation in tail rotor
shaft of helicopter
■ Finite element analysis
of a complete railway wheel-set

21. 3332
The application of inspection intervals on
components has also led to the development
of an activity devoted to the improvement
of the performance of ultra sound controls
for different applications (railway axles,
helicopter rotor components, tilt-rotor wing
spar, bogie frame parts and the hydraulic
cylinders of earthmoving machines).
Ground Vehicle Design and Testing
This research line focuses on both
theoretical and experimental issues related
to the design and construction of ground
vehicles. These activities refer to modelling,
optimal design, construction and testing of
ground vehicles, their subsystems or special
laboratory devices.
From a theoretical point of view, the scientific
approach is focused on the Optimal Design
of Complex Systems. For almost twenty
years, numerical methods referring
to Multi-objective Optimisation have been
developed and applied effectively to a
number of different case studies ranging
from structural design to the active safety
of road vehicles right up to mechatronics.
In 2006, the book “Optimal Design of
Complex Mechanical Systems with application to
vehicle engineering” (published by Springer,
Berlin Heidelberg) has represented a
significant achievement together with
many recognitions in international forums
(ASME, IAVSD).
A new laboratory (Laboratory for
the Safety of Transport-LaST, founded
in 2001), focusing on experimental activities
is currently up-and-running.
Particular attention is devoted to green,
safe and smart vehicles.
Hydrogen and solar prototype electric
vehicles have been built. The body is made
from carbon fibre. In 2009, the team’s
hydrogen fuelled prototype obtained the
Italian record for energy efficiency (2741
km per litre of gasoline) at the Shell Eco
Marathon competition (Germany, 2009).
At the Shell Eco-Marathon Europe 2011,
the solar vehicle, Apollo set the new world
record of 1108 km/kWh (equivalent to
9757 km/l), breaking for the first time
the barrier of 1000 km/kWh.
Research has been undertaken on
innovative design of brakes (either
mechatronic or conventional) both for road
or off-road vehicles.
The design and testing of suspension
systems for road vehicles focuses both on
active safety and Noise-Vibration-Harshness
(NVH) performance. NVH projects have
employed the RuotaVia: a completely
original (own design) horizontal axis steel
drum, providing a running contact surface
for road or railway vehicle wheels (max
speed >400 km/h). Innovative six axis
load cells (own design) were designed and
patented and used for NVH assessments.
With regard to pneumatic tyres, rolling
resistance, NVH performance and full non
linear characteristics - both on and off road
vehicles were measured at LaST.
Other projects dealt with snow chains,
headrests, axle durability and road accidents
reconstruction.
The InTenso+ system, was patented and
developed to obtain the inertia properties
of vehicles and their subsystems and it has
found many applications ranging from cars
and race vehicles to space satellites.
A special project focusing on the
measurement of forces at wheel/ground
interface was implemented. An own design
smart wheel was optimised, constructed
and employed. Thanks to this device, it
was possible to theoretically highlight the
improvement of ABS and ESP systems.
■ Experimental fatigue test on main rotor
hub of helicopter
■ Apollo set the new world record of 1108 km/kWh,
breaking for the first time the barrier of 1000 km/kWh.
■ InTenso system during a test.
■ Patented six axis measuring wheel

22. 3534
Manufacturing and Production Systems
research group. Targeted studies on specific
industrial problems are often carried out in
collaboration with partner companies and
considerable know how has been acquired
on several manufacturing processes and
applications, including conventional
and unconventional material removal
techniques, metal forming, joining and
welding, surface treatments.
The majority of group activities is focused
on several main research areas.
These include (a) basic research regarding
the physical phenomena governing
manufacturing processes, (b) applied
research devoted to the implementation
of new technologies in an existing
processing chain and (c) the development,
characterisation, monitoring and diagnosis
of machine tools.
As regards basic research, the quality and
performance parameters of processes are
investigated by means of laboratory tests
in order to relate them to process variables.
This allows for the building
of extensive process knowledge, from which
“technological operating windows” can
be readily derived for an optimal tuning
of the processes at the shop floor. Examples
of such achievements include the modelling
of tool wear, residual stresses, defects of
surface integrity, loss of accuracy due to
cutting kerfs and burrs. These and other
specific issues are investigated for both
conventional processes for new or difficult-
to-work materials (such as cellular metal,
hybrid materials, advanced composites,
Transformation processes play a key role
in the strategies adopted by industrial
companies who wish to compete on
the market with high quality, sustainable
products. Material and information
transforming processes use not only
technologies and physical systems but also
methods and tools to design and manage
transformation activities during product life
cycles, i.e. from the design phase right up to
production, supply and eventual disposal,
re-use or recycling of the products in
question. Technological solutions for future
transformation processes need to respond to
the increasing needs of competitiveness and
global sustainability.
As a consequence, it is of prime importance
to study those processes, related to industrial
products, involving not only the use of both
traditional and innovative materials but also
obtained by means of production systems
capable of being adapted to different,
more dynamic requirements.
This research line aims at designing and
developing new technological solutions
for future transformation processes. Several
research topics are developed within this
particular framework. The mechanical
and technological characteristics of
transformed materials and the relationships
between the material characteristics and
the transformation process parameters are
investigated. This knowledge facilitates
the setting-up of new production processes,
the selection of technological variables for
the running of cost-effective programmes
in changing environments and the
development of physical prototypes based
on innovative transformation processes, also
considering the environmental impact: use
of energy, materials, and process emissions.
The methodologies and tools for the design,
management and control of production
processes as well as components and systems
for transformation activities are conceived,
designed and developed using software
tools. The use of these advanced tools will
not only help industrial engineers to achieve
optimum design of production systems but
will also improve management and control
procedures.
The research line is organised into two main
themes, namely “Manufacturing Processes”
and “Manufacturing Systems and Quality”.
Manufacturing Processes
To gain competitive advantages in their
markets, industrial companies must develop
and maintain the ability to manufacture
products that not only comply with strict
quality requirements but that are also cost-
effective. In order to achieve this, they need
to stay at the leading edge of manufacturing
technologies either by improving their
processes, acquiring new available processes
or even developing new processes. Each of
these strategies calls for in-depth knowledge
regarding the way in which technologies
are evolving and how process innovations
impact on everyday manufacturing practice.
The design, test and implementation
of solutions for future manufacturing
requirements is the overall goal of this
■ 5-axis machining of micro components
■ Process simulation: deep-drawing versus
hydroforming case study

23. 37
high strength alloys) and unconventional
processes such as laser beam processing,
plasma arc and water jet machining,
micro-machining. The combination of a
number of different technologies in one
process chain is often studied in order to
exploit related strengths and develop hybrid
manufacturing solutions.
Applied research deals with challenging
industrial cases, where the limitations of
current solutions require new approaches
based on unconventional processes.
A short list of case histories highlights a
wealth of unusual applications currently
being explored in the group’s laboratory
using state-of-the-art machinery: water jet
and laser cutting on composite and other
difficult-to-machine materials; fibre laser for
cladding of high resistance products like gas
turbine engine blades; ultrasonic welding for
thin parts in aluminium and magnesium;
hybrid processes based on adhesive bonding
and ultrasonic welding for difficult-to-weld
materials such as magnesium; diode lasers
for surface hardening in situations where
accessibility is a problem; water jet and fibre
laser to drill titanium and magnesium alloys
for aerospace and medical applications;
metal foaming for lightweight structures
that have stiffness and vibration damping
requirements; five-axis micromachining for
high precision parts such as bio-absorbable
stents, micro-actuators and micro-fuel cells;
FEM simulation of metal forming processes.
Machine tools are another area where
design and experimental knowledge is
acquired using the most updated methods.
An improved use of existing machines
is made possible by defining their proper
operating range in order to avoid chatter
and other stability problems and to enhance
the energetic efficiency of machine tools
and production systems. Innovative machine
concepts and subsystems have been
developed (and often patented), including
an abrasive dosing system and an additive
injection system for water jet cutting, a
steel deposition method for nitrided metal
partsand an optimised pre-stressed design
for high tonnage press frames. As a further
application of machine tool knowledge,
monitoring systems for advanced statistical
process control and diagnostics, based on
typical signal profiles for process variables
(current, force pressure, power, temperature
and others depending on the specific
process), are developed.
Manufacturing Systems and Quality
Process innovation is not always sufficient
to improve the competitiveness of a
manufacturing company. In some ways the
process is just one of the three elements that
solve manufacturing problems. The other
two are the product and the production
systems: the former imposes its design
specifications and the need to verify them
at every stage of the process chain; the latter
brings about many different constraints
related to the availability of equipment,
tooling and other types of resources. If all
three issues are not carefully evaluated,
it is highly unlikely that a technological
solution can meet the demanding
requirements of quality, cost, productivity
and responsiveness.
This research group studies the dynamic
relationships between product, process
and production systems in order to
translate them into innovative design,
management and control methodologies for
manufacturing companies. However, this is
not to say that manufacturing technologies
are treated as pure abstraction!
The development of a methodology starts
from an analysis of the real needs of a
company or an industrial sector. Relevant
knowledge is acquired through experimental
plans or extensive data collection on the
shop floor. The procedures implemented
are based on technical standards and
worldwide best practices. Results are tested
at manufacturing facilities and deployed
by means of software tools. Finally, the
overall problem to be solved is anything but
abstract: what are the causes of uncertainty
of a process and how can they be controlled
and (if possible) avoided?
■ Unconventional manufacturing:
remote laser welding and abrasive
water jet cutting
■ Layout scheme for production
system configuration and balancing

24. 3938
On the product side, the main research
focus is on how the results of manufacturing
processes can be controlled to guarantee
product quality. Modern dimensional
control techniques are experimented in
the metrology lab, where several types of
high precision geometrical measurements,
ranging from large to micro scale, are taken.
This allows for an evaluation of all the ways
in which the geometry of a workpiece can
actually deviate from design specifications.
This knowledge is not only helpful in
terms of having a better understanding of
processes, but also serves as the basis for the
development of the custom procedures of
monitoring and statistical process control.
These help decide what, how and when to
control a production line or a supply chain
and, ultimately, allow for the reduction of
manufacturing defects and costs.
As a feedback for engineers, information
about geometric product variability
is incorporated into innovative methods
of tolerancing and process planning.
Research on production systems focuses on
the development of performance evaluation
tools. These are based on a detailed
modelling of all system resources including
machines (with related tools and fixtures),
inspection stations and material handling
devices. The dream of each production
manager is that all these items are organised
to work in tandem to maximise productivity,
avoid bottlenecks and recoup all possible
failures with minimum impact on system
performance. Therefore, these tools are the
basis for a rational approach to decisions,
such as system configuration and balancing,
as well as for operational planning tasks
(routing, scheduling, etc.) which ensure
an optimal usage of resources.
Materials
The Materials Research Line at the
Department of Mechanical Engineering
is focused on the study of metallurgical
production processes, characterisation of
structural materials and coatings. Excellent
research products have been obtained
both on fundamental research issues
(e.g. nanostructured materials, chemical
interaction between slag and molten
metal, inclusions and liquid melts, powder
metallurgy) and on applied research (e.g.
failure analysis and damage of materials,
coatings for specific applications).
The laboratory system at the Department
of Mechanical Engineering includes
a series of equipments and analytical
instruments dedicated to the experimental
research of materials. Among these, a
microstructural lab covers metallographic
sample preparation, optical microscopes,
microhardness, scratch and wear testers
as well as a glow discharge optical
spectrometer for bulk and in-depth chemical
composition measurements. A scanning
electron microscope lab hosts a recently
acquired instrument equipped with an EDS
microprobe and electron back-scattered
diffraction systems. A thermal analysis lab is
equipped with muffle and tubular furnaces
and a TG/DTA/DSC system.
The facilities also boast several universal
testing machines covering an extremely
wide range of material testing conditions
(static and fatigue loading at room, low and
high temperatures, tension and compression
creep, wear, fracture mechanics, fatigue
crack growth, creep crack initiation and
growth) and an X-ray diffractometer for
residual stress measurement.
Research on casting and plastic deformation
processes is supported by facilities for the
melting and casting of alloys and slags
using a resistance furnace that can be
operated up to a maximum temperature of
1750°C. Experimental rolling trials can be
performed by means of a laboratory rolling
system while studies on sheet formability
can be conducted thanks to the use of
suitable equipment.
Projects carried out in recent years
addressed the activities related to three main
research topics: Advanced Materials (AMT),
Applied Metallurgy (APM), Steelmaking
and Metallurgical Processes (SMP).
■ CMM based geometric model reconstruction
The type of tool depends on the level at
which management needs to be supported:
virtual manufacturing and inspection
software is usually provided at a workstation
level, while analytical methods and discrete
event simulation help to optimise different
types of performance indicators at a system
level.

25. 4140
Advanced Materials
The activities of the Advanced Materials
research group are related to metallurgy
and the processing of advanced and
non-conventional metallic alloys such
as nanostructured and ultrafine grained
metals, aluminium, magnesium and
titanium alloys for special and highly-
demanding applications, non-ferrous
superalloys and related coatings for
high-temperature service.
During the past decade, a lot of effort
has been invested in the development of
ultrafine grained (UFG) alloys boasting
grain sizes in the range of 100-500
nm, produced using the severe plastic
deformation technique. Thanks to this
method, a significant refinement of the
alloy microstructure has been achieved
by extensive plastic straining of the
material at either room or moderately high
temperatures. The Advanced Materials
research group is currently involved in
gaining increased insight into the evolution,
stability and strengthening of these UFG
metals. Promising achievements, based
on the same principles but suitable for the
generation of ultrafine grained structures
in industrial metalworking plants, were
also obtained in the development of more
industrially-based processing techniques.
In recent years, extensive investigations
have also been carried out on short
and long term microstructural stability
and the mechanical behaviour, at high
temperatures, of both conventional and
innovative aluminium and magnesium
alloys. Important scientific results were
also obtained in the study of medium
and long term creep behaviour and the
associated microstructural modifications
of conventional and advanced aluminium
alloys (e.g. 2014, 2014 modified with Ag,
2618 alloys) produced either by extrusion,
forging or casting. Similar activities were
also carried out on experimental high-
temperature magnesium alloys containing
rare earth elements, with special emphasis
on castability and the resulting properties
of parts produced by die-casting. In a more
recent project, high-temperature formability
and the mechanical and microstructural
behaviour of a number of wrought
magnesium alloys (e.g. AZ31, ZM21, AZ61,
AZ80, WE43 alloys) were also investigated
within the framework of a research
activity focusing on the development of
biodegradable devices for biomedical
applications. In order to be plastically
formed into small devices, the candidate
materials for these applications should
possess suitable properties. They should
also be capable of sustaining significant
stresses during service, while progressively
dissolving into the human body (releasing
biocompatible elements).
Coatings and the thermo-chemical surface
treatments of special-purpose alloys such as
titanium alloys and nickel-based alloys for
aerospace and other heavy-duty applications
are also studied as a natural extension
of the specific activities of the Advanced
Materials research group. Investigations
on the diffusivity of elements and the
tribological behaviour of Titanium alloys
treated by Plasma nitriding were performed
in order to improve the thickness and
efficiency of the hardened layer resulting in
improved performance of the titanium parts
requiring servicing in critical tribological
environments. Similarly, aluminising and
other diffusive coatings are investigated as
suitable surface modification processes for
aerospace and power-generation turbine
parts.
Applied Metallurgy
Improving a product’s success depends
on the attention paid to the materials
engineering aspects of decisions that
occur during product development and
manufacturing. A materials engineering
perspective is necessary today to make good
decisions that can increase the likelihood
of producing a successful product.
Focusing attention on material properties
is crucial for the proper selection of
engineering materials in order to target
desired functionality and reliability at
the desired cost. Similarly, applying an
investigational knowledge based process that
looks at damage phenomena involved is an
effective way to seek cost-effective solutions
which enhance reliability at the right
product cost, thus targeting the customer’s
needs. Applying both of these approaches,
that are mainstreams of the applied
metallurgy field, leads to the translation
of customer needs into basic material
requirements that will serve
a successful engineering design phase.
■ Microstructural analysis of a welded sample
broken under creep loading
■ Development of ultra-fine grained Mg alloy
by extrusion and laser cutting to produce
biodegradable stents
■ Grain structure
of a Titanium alloy

26. 4342
Fitting engineering product requirement
needs to apply multicriteria decision making
processes based on knowledge of the
relationship between material properties
and failure behaviour in relation to specific
environments and the loading conditions
set. Control of material properties depends
on controlling several sources of variations,
while controlling variations requires a deep
comprehension of the causal relationship
existing between microstructure and
manufacturing processes, including pre
and post-treatments (massive, or bulk,
and surface treatments).
Regarding the frontiers of materials
compliant with EC needs for pollutant
emissions reduction, the research group
has been coordinating a EU project that
focuses on scaling-up to the industrial scale
magnesium based alloys manufactured
by no-melting processes (i.e. using low
energy consuming, no gas used) capable
of realising a nanostructured (<1 microns)
microstructure that guarantees the highest
specific strength currently available for
engineering metals.
Similarly, innovative semi-solid magnesium
alloys produced by the Thixomolding
process, an environmental friend and
innovative injection molding manufacturing
process, have been investigated in order to
enhance mechanical properties, specifically
toughness and fatigue resistance, for weight
reduction needs in the automotive sector.
Recently a new innovative field covered by
the group is a new engineering application
of novel magnesium based materials
developed as hydrogen storage via the solid
state method.
Concerning the bulk heat treatment of steel,
the research group focuses on the study of
optimising mechanical properties at the core
of large blooms. During the quench step,
different cooling rates can occur in various
regions, mainly depending on bloom size.
Difference in microstructure can be suffered
by semifinished components.
Surface treatments have been investigated
in order to deal with and inhibit surface
failures by contact fatigue. Pitting and
micropitting mechanisms and sources have
been researched. Practical guidelines and
models for proper surface hardened layers
design have been developed.
Innovative heat treatments were studied
on sintered steels originating from powder
metallurgy in order to introduce cost
benefits and significantly reduce
the distortion of the parts.
Finally, as a sort of back-process for optimal
products, failure analysis and forensic
engineering is one main applicative issue
of the Applied Metallurgy research group.
Specifically, root case failure analysis is
today an important discipline to support the
development of new products, to improve
existing products and to assist a court in
determining the facts of an accident.
Failure analysis is generally asked to
determine the root cause of failures in
order to propose solutions or to assess
responsibility by wider material perspectives
to prevent future occurrence, and/or to
improve the performance of the device,
component or structure.
Steel Making
and Metallurgical Processes
This activity focuses on items related to
steelmaking and metallurgical processes
based on the following topics: melting and
refining processes for the improvement
of product quality and plant innovation;
energy efficiency in metallurgical processes
and their environmental impact (fumes, slag
treatment etc.); solidification (continuous
casting, ingot casting, foundry, welding);
plastic deformation of metal alloys and
related mechanical and formability
properties obtained from end products.
The study of melting processes is mainly
related to enviromental issues associated
to blast furnace process and to the use of
the Electric Arc Furnace in steel melting
processes. In this instance, particular
emphasis was focused on the innovation of
burners and supersonic oxygen injection
and on the stabilisation of the foaming slag
in order to increase energy savings and
decrease steel bath oxidation during the
melting and de-carburation process.
A wide experience concerning the treatment
and the recycle of slag and fumes powder
has been developed in order to reduce
the environmental impact through a correct
intertization process. Studies performed
on steel refining processes are related to the
possibility of achieving a good control of
the quality and quantity of the non-metallic
inclusions formed within the steels.
The study of the solidification process is
related to the application of ingot casting
and continuous casting plants to perform
steel semis production. Computational
simulation and the study of the solidification
microstructure were extended to in-line
thin slab casting coupled with the direct
rolling of the steel strips. Moreover, just
recently, the interaction between induced
electromagnetic fields and the solidification
microstructure was investigated. Original
techniques for the producion of open
cell foams has been developed for high
temperature melting point alloys.
This last item was also dealt with during
the study of plastic deformation processes.
Particular emphasis was focused on
identifying, the relationships between
applied operative parameters (thermal
range, total applied deformation,
deformation rate), induced crystrallographic
textures and the end mechanical properties
of the materials treated. This approach was
not only applied to steel and stainless steel
but also to copper alloys. The description of
the technological process (rolling, extrusion,
wiredrawing) studied is given by means of
the original application of FEM analysis
approach.
■ Carbon acid corrosion
of gas cylinder
■ Analysis of Solidification and plastic deformation
processes: continuous casting of steel
■ Steelmaking process analysis: LD converter
■ Fatigue fracture surface of an aluminium wire

27. 4544
The group involved in the Mechanical
and Thermal Measurements (MTM)
shares a common background not only
in the development and qualification of
new measurement techniques but also
in the customisation and application
of well-known measurement principles
for innovative fields. In recent years the
development of science and technology
has allowed the creation of new measuring
devices and contemporarily it has strongly
increased the need to measure a number of
quantities both for industry and research.
In this scenario, knowledge and skills in
the field of measurements are widely
required; due to these reasons the members
of this research group are implementing a
multidisciplinary approach in close contact
with many other research areas, bringing
to their activities a wide know-how, ranging
from electronic instrumentation, to data
management and analysis, to static and
dynamic system behaviour, always keeping
in mind the metrology issues and the need
for quality in experimentation and testing,
both industrial and scientific.
The research activities are sustained by
a strong orientation towards acting in
an international scenario, fostering and
establishing international contacts in specific
areas considered strategic to improve
the group research capabilities. These
researches are strengthened by a number
of activities related to European research
projects as well as projects funded by the
Italian or European Space Agency. Contacts
with a number of foreign Universities,
Research Centres and companies complete
the international network.
In the abovementioned scenario the MTM
research focus includes design, development,
metrological characterisation of
measurement systems and standardisation,
as well as the implementation of innovative
experimental techniques. The main
trends carried out by the MTM group are
summarised in the following.
New Measurement Techniques
The research in this area deals with testing
of MEMS devices and use of MEMS for
innovative monitoring applications; wirelss
MEMS, fibre optic sensing, new strategies
for sensor networks and data management,
support to risk analysis.
Vision-based Measurements
The main scientific activity is in the field
of 2D and 3D image-based measurements
with particular reference to the following
measuring principles: Digital Image
Correlation (DIC), Fringe projection 3D
scanning, stereoscopy and thermal imaging.
The contributions to these research topics
cover both the measuring techniques
development and the corresponding
applications in complex and hostile
environments. The mentioned measuring
techniques are applied in a wide variety
of research themes, including: thermal
imaging for diagnostic purposes, strain field
measurements with DIC to analyse the
mechanical behaviour of concrete beams,
metallic elements, welded joints and fibre
reinforced polyamide, DIC algorithm
customisation for the estimation of the
dynamic loading due to jumping crowds on
stadia stands (with applications for security
purposes), PIV analysis through an original
vision-based particle tracking technique, 3D
biometrics for security through stereoscopic
imaging of human faces, development
and qualification of calibration techniques
for fringe-based 3D scanners, vibration
monitoring of structures and cables through
image acquisition and processing, robot
guidance and bin picking, stereoscopic
vision and time-of-flight techniques to
study the static and dynamic behaviour of
race sailboats, train pantograph and civil
structures in wind tunnel tests, industrial
vision, also with complete design of
measurement systems, particularly focused
on 3D approaches, forensic imaging for
crime fighting (in cooperation with the
Forensic Anthropology Laboratory of the
University of Milan LABANOF). A part
of these research activities is carried out
in the Vision Bricks Lab (VB Lab). A spin
off company, Innovative Security Solution
(ISS), constitutes the technology transfer
means to bring the research outcomes from
this area to the industrial world, especially
for robot guidance and bin picking
applications, but also for other 3D vision
products.
Measurements
■ 3D Digital Image Correlation
for tension tests analysis
■ Vision-based system for 6 degrees-of-freedom
rider dynamic analysis
■
Fringe projection-based 3D scanning for personal
identification by means of 3D biometrics

28. 46
Flow-Structure Interaction
It deals with base research on flow cylinder
interaction and bridge aerodynamics; testing
service on wind response of tall buildings,
wind induced vibrations of power head
transmission lines, aerodynamics of
long-span suspension and cable stayed
bridges, water induced vibrations of
submarine structures and hydraulic
vulnerability of river bridges.
Structural Monitoring
In this ambit two main activity fields are
active.
■ Building health monitoring:
in this field the research deals with design
and implementation of automatic systems
for continuous measurement, monitoring
and diagnosis relying on static and dynamic
parameter measurements; development
and validation of techniques for structural
safety assessment; studies on different
modal analysis techniques to identify
structural parameters and their evolution
over time for eventual damage detection;
numerical simulation of damage effects
and experimental results validation;
infrastructure monitoring and evolution,
especially for railways, high rise building
response to wind and earthquakes,
studies on people-structure interaction
and serviceability assessment of stadia
structures during public events. Examples
of monitored structures include: Duomo
di Milano, Meazza stadium in Milan,
the Humber Bridge (UK), Punta Faro
towers at Messina Straits, Torrazzo
di Cremona, the Milan subway system.
■ Transportation measurements:
in this field the research deals with vehicle/
substructure interaction,
effective track maintenance strategies,
pantograph-catenary interaction
analysis to guarantee reliability of
the current collection, short pitch
corrugation measurement and evolution,
vehicle dynamics measurements
and testing, NVH, noise and vibration
annoyance and comfort, intelligent tyres
and intelligent transportation systems.
Measurements for space
In this field the research deals with
instrument design, design and development
of optical/near-infrared instruments
for remote sensing, dynamic errors in
atmospheric temperature measurements,
modelling of mechanical disturbances on
Fourier spectrometers, measurement data
analysis/correction. An example of the
activities carried-out is the “MIMA”
(Mars Infrared Mapper) project.
The developed spectrometer operates in
the 2-25 µm spectral range with a spectral
resolution of 5 cm-1. The thermal and
opto-mechanical design has been fully
carried out by the Mechanical and thermal
measurements team, along with the
assembly integration and testing.
Three mechanisms, the cover/calibration
system, the interferometer swing mechanism
and the locking systems have been
designed and developed, using DC motors,
piezoelectric and Shape Memory Alloys
based actuators specifically developed
for this application.
The purposely developed Interface
vibration damping system and kinematic
mounting have enabled using the
mechanically weak KBr optics (yield stress
lower than 5 MPa) despite the large design
loads (1000 m/s2) and the wide temperature
range (90÷120 °C).
Electro Mechanical Interaction
and Renewable Energy
In this ambit three main activity fields are
active.
■ Active, semi-active, semi-passive
and passive control of systems and
structures deals with: development
of vibration reduction strategies with
different approaches, especially
semi-passive and semi-active.
Attenuation of vibrations is usually achieved
employing smart materials (e.g. piezo-
materials), FPGA systems and time-variant
or time-invariant electrical networks.
Different strategies have been developed
taking into consideration different
requirements (i.e. mono-modal, multi-modal
and broad-band attenuation).
■ Harvester efficiency characterisation:
deals with the evaluation of the mechanical
design for piezo harvesters, to improve
their capability to produce energy.
■ Renewable energy: deals with design,
modelling and monitoring of devices to get
energy from marine currents.
Acoustic Measurements
The research in this field is mainly focused
on sound source localisation (beamforming,
near field acoustic holography, Helmotz
Equation Least Squares techniques –
HELS advanced volume intensimetry),
measurement tools to develop acoustic
barriers (arrays of microphones and
loudspeakers), active,
semi active and passive noise control.
Rehabilitation Measurements
design and development of sensors and
measurement techniques to help intelligent
and more effective rehabilitation after
serious injuries: techniques are developed to
improve existing devices, design new ones
(robots for patented rehabilitation methods)
and define their metrological features.
Whole Body and Hand Arm Vibration
It deals with the development of
measurement techniques for the assessment
of the vibration exposure of people, mostly
due to work related activities but also with
attention to everyday life, including sports;
modelling and characterisation of vibration
sources for the tools and machines; design
optimisation bound to the reduction of the
vibration transmitted to the users.
■ The long-term monitoring of Duomo di Milano
■ Large structures vibration monitoring
■ The Fourier spectrometer “MIMA”
(Mars Infrared Mapper) during the mechanical qualification tests
47