Biography

I am a lecturer in Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering and a module coordinator for MSc courses. I obtained my PhD in Structural, Seismic and Geotechnical Engieering from Polytechnic University of Milan following MSc in Geotechnical Engineering and BSc in Civil Engineering. My PhD dissertation was entitled "Effect of repated hydraulic loads on the hydromechanical behaviour of an unsaturated silty soil" where I have studied the effect of drying-wetting cycles on the behaviour of a compacted soil used for construction of an embankment.

Befor joining University of Portsmouth, I have been a Research Fellow at Durham University working on an EPSRC funded project (£1.2M) titled "Sustainability and Resilience of Transportation Infrastructure in African Countries". The outcomes of the project demonstrate the viability of field monitoring in roads and railways and assessing climate impact on their construction materials. I have also been a Postdoc researcher at Polytechnic University of Turin (ITALY) working on a project carried out in collaboration with Eni S.p.A where the time-dependent settlement of a gas reservoir was investigated. 

Research interests

My research and work records demonstrate my engagement with academic and industrial bodies in the field of Civil and Geotechnical Engineering including:

• Field monitoring of soil - climate interactions
• Laboratory testing of saturated and unsaturated soils
• Soil constitutive modelling

The key aim of my research is to develop an experimental and analytical framework that considers effects of climate change and environmental loads on sustainability and resilience of geo-infrastructure.

Teaching responsibilities

I currently teach on the MSC Engineering Geology Degree and co-ordinate the Module Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Design (Level 7). I am the tutor and project supervisor to Engineering Geology Masters students.