The project was divided into three distinct work packages (WPs), each comprising three tasks.
WP1 focused on evaluating the performance of integrated earthquake-proof energy-efficient facade systems, to aid technology development. This WP was carried out in close collaboration with industrial partners, that provided in-kind contributions for experimental testing of full-scale glazed facades. These partners are also keenly interested in further advancements in this area. During a secondment period at the global facade contractor Permasteelisa, the fellow oversaw the entire experimental campaign, from designing the test setup to supervising the experiments and post-processing the data. WP1 resulted in collaborative publications with academics and industries (including 3 conference publications, 1 journal paper, and 2 forthcoming journal publications). The research findings were also showcased at international conferences and seminars regarding glass structures and earthquake engineering. This research also fostered collaborations with a multinational engineering firm (Arup), leading to further investigations on the topic (and a joint conference paper) along with the supervision of 2 graduation projects.
WP2 aimed at creating novel multi-criteria decision-making procedures, including seismic safety, for facade design. This WP led to inter-disciplinary collaborations and co-authored papers (including 4 conference papers, 1 journal papers, and 2 forthcoming journal paper). Furthermore, the fellow published a journal paper as the sole author, thus demonstrating significant growth in research publication. Finally, WP3 focused on defining multi-performance design procedures incorporating risk assessment and uncertainty quantification. This WP yielded 1 published journal paper with another one in progress, as well as 2 conference papers, along with the supervision of 3 graduation projects. The digital tools developed under these two work packages are accessible through dedicated publications or related repositories in an open-access format. The fellow also disseminated the research results through her personal websites and the university webpages.
This interdisciplinary journey expanded the fellow's knowledge, enhancing their research perspective on multi-hazard resilience. This broader expertise played a crucial role in coordinating the preparation of a successful Horizon-Europe proposal, securing an exceptional €7.5 million funding with a 15/15 perfect score. As a result, the fellow will serve as the Technical Coordinator for a 21-member international Consortium. Additionally, the fellow was invited to present the SAFE-FACE project's results at a workshop organized by JRC and joined the Earthquake Engineering European Association-WG15 working group, solidifying their reputation in the field.
