About us
The working group from the University of Parma is characterized by a strong multidisciplinary approach, with expertise from Structural Engineering, Materials Science and Technology, Industrial Mechanical Systems, and Administrative Law. The group has a long-standing collaboration in the field of eco-sustainable construction materials that incorporate waste, as evidenced by the participation in several competitive calls and the production of numerous scientific publications.
The Structural Engineering research group from the Department of Engineering and Architecture (DIA) at the University of Parma has extensive experience in materials and structures, with a strong orientation towards applied research in the field of waste reuse in construction cementitious materials. Within CIRCOMP, the research group will define the mix designs for concrete with composite material waste and recycled fibers, and will evaluate the physical properties, mechanical strengths, durability, and corrosion resistance in aggressive environments of the produced concrete.
At the end of the project, the group will also develop scaled prototypes of reinforced concrete elements with recycled aggregates and/or fibers, analyzing the results in terms of mechanical behavior, crack evolution, concrete-reinforcement interaction, and load-bearing capacity.
The Materials Science and Technology research group from the Department of Industrial Engineering Systems and Technologies (DISTI) at the University of Parma has extensive experience in the recovery and reuse of waste materials for the creation of sustainable construction materials, and in the development of polymer matrix materials for industrial applications. Within CIRCOMP, the group will verify the chemical-physical characteristics of composite material waste to assess the compatibility with the cement matrix, characterize the produced concrete microstructurally by studying the inert/cement interface, and create synthetic fibers characterized by different percentages of composite waste material using a twin-screw extruder. For the fibers, the Materials Science and Technology group will also define the rheological properties, surface morphology, mechanical and viscoelastic properties, density, and water absorption, and in collaboration with the Structural Engineering group, evaluate the compatibility between fibers and the cement matrix through fiber pull-out tests.
The Industrial Mechanical Systems research group from the Department of Industrial Engineering Systems and Technologies (DISTI) at the University of Parma has been involved for years in calculating the environmental sustainability of products and processes for various local companies. The tool used is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), recognized by the European Commission as the most suitable methodology for this purpose and increasingly used by organizations to evaluate their environmental performance. Within CIRCOMP, the Industrial Mechanical Systems research group will analyze the environmental and economic impacts by using the LCA analysis, A comparison of the environmental impacts will also be made with respect to the solution that does not involve the use of recycled material, highlighting the environmental, material consumption, and energy savings benefits of using such material.
The members of the Administrative Law sector belong to the Department of Engineering and Architecture and the Department of Law, Political and International Studies (GSPI) at the University of Parma. They have many years of experience in education, administrative procedures, energy, and regulatory aspects within the circular economy. Within CIRCOMP, the research group will identify the constraints and authorization procedures necessary to transform waste into secondary production materials. They will analyze the legislative issues related to defining the procedures necessary for the effective use of concrete produced with recycled composite material in construction, considering that Italian construction regulations are currently very strict regarding the introduction of waste into construction materials.
The research team also includes a member specifically responsible for the dissemination of the Agenda 2030 SDGs.
PARTICIPATION IN COMPETITIVE CALLS BY THE RESEARCH GROUP ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS:
Funder: REGIONE EMILIA ROMAGNA
Call: PR-FESR EMILIA ROMAGNA 2021-2027 – PRIORITY 1: RESEARCH, INNOVATION, AND COMPETITIVENESS, Specific Objective 1.1, Action 1.1.2 “Support for collaborative research projects between research laboratories and universities with companies”, Call for strategic industrial research projects aimed at the priority areas of the intelligent specialization strategy 2023-2024
Leader: CIDEA (UniPR)
Other Participating Regional Centers: EN&TECH (UniMORE); CRICT (UniMORE), TekneHub (UniFE), CIRI EC (UNIBO)
Duration: 28 months, from 06/02/2024
Principal Investigator: Patrizia Bernardi
UniPR Research Team: Beatrice Belletti, Daniele Ferretti, Elena Michelini, Daniel Milanese, Corrado Sciancalepore, Alessio Malcevschi
Funder: ITALIAN MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY SECURITY
Call: co-funding research projects aimed at developing technologies for the prevention, recovery, recycling, and treatment of waste not covered by existing consortiums, product eco-design, and proper waste management – Edition 2021
Duration: 24 months, from 02/10/2023
Project coordinator: Patrizia Bernardi
UniPR Research Team: Beatrice Belletti, Alice Sirico, Daniel Milanese, Corrado Sciancalepore, Giuseppe Vignali, Arianna Paini, Monica Cocconi, Stefania Pedrabissi, Nicola Granato, Alessio Malcevschi
Funder: REGIONE EMILIA ROMAGNA
Call: “High skills for research and technology transfer POR FSE 2014/2020 Thematic Objective 10”; Field b) human resources for intelligent specialization
Duration: 12 months, 16/09/2020-15/09/2021
Scientific responsible of the Project: Patrizia Bernardi
Project Researcher: Alice Sirico
Research Team: Beatrice Belletti, Daniel Milanese, Corrado Sciancalepore
Funder: REGIONE EMILIA ROMAGNA
Call: POR-FESR EMILIA ROMAGNA 2014-2020 – AXIS 1: RESEARCH AND INNOVATION, Action 1.2.2 “Support for the implementation of complex R&D projects on a few relevant thematic areas and the application of technological solutions for the realization of the S3 strategy”, Call 2108, Strategic industrial research projects aimed at the priority areas of the Intelligent Specialization Strategy.
Leader: En&Tech (UniMORE)
Duration: from 25/07/2019 to 28/02/2022
Principal Investigator: Emilio Radi (UniMORE – En&Tech)
UniPR Research Team: Alessio Malcevschi (UniPR Scientific Responsible), Beatrice Belletti, Patrizia Bernardi, Alice Sirico
Website: Click here
PUBLICATIONS BY THE RESEARCH GROUP ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS (2019-2024):
Sirico, A., Bernardi, P., Belletti, B., Sciancalepore, C., Milanese, D., Paini, A., Vignali, G. (2024). “Environmental and mechanical analysis of low‐carbon concrete with vitrified MSW incineration bottom ash as cement replacement”. Structural Concrete, 1-23, 10.1002/suco.202300615.
Sirico, A., Bernardi, P., Sciancalepore, C., Belletti, B., Milanese, D. and Malcevschi, A., (2023). Combined effects of biochar and recycled plastic aggregates on mechanical behavior of concrete. Structural Concrete, Open Access, 24(5): 6721-37, doi 10.1002/suco.202200949.
Sirico A., Belletti B., Bernardi P., Malcevschi A., Pagliari F., Fornoni P., Moretti E. (2022). Effects of biochar addition on long-term behavior of concrete. Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics 122, Article number 103626. doi: 10.1016/j.tafmec.2022.103626.
Sirico, A., Bernardi P., Sciancalepore C., Vecchi F., Malcevschi A., Belletti B., Milanese, D. (2021). Biochar from wood waste as additive for structural concrete. CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS, vol. 303, art. n. 124500. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.124500.
Sirico A., Bernardi P., Belletti B., Malcevschi A., Dalcanale E., Domenichelli I., Fornoni P., Moretti E. (2020). Mechanical characterization of cement-based materials containing biochar from gasification. CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS, vol. 246, art. n. 118490, doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.118490.
Sirico A., Bernardi P., Belletti B., Malcevschi A., Restuccia L., Ferro G. A., Suarez-Riera D., (2020). Biochar-based cement pastes and mortars with enhanced mechanical properties”. FRATTURA E INTEGRITÀ STRUTTURALE, vol. 54, pp. 294-313, doi: 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.54.21.
Bernardi P., Sirico A., Paini, A., Belletti B, Vignali G., (2024). “Evaluation of mechanical properties and carbon footprint of biochar-added concrete”. Proceedings of fib ICCS _ International Conference on Concrete Sustainability, 11-13 September Guimarães, Portugal.
Sirico, A., Bernardi P., Belletti B., Malcevschi, A. (2024). “Use of Plastic Waste for the Development of Green Lightweight Structural Concrete”. Lectures Notes in Civil Engineering 43, 190-203, Italian Concrete Conference ICC2022, Naples, 12-15 Oct 2022, doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-43102-9_16, ISBN 978-303143101-2.
Plaza, P., Sirico, A., Palii O., Belletti, B., Bernardi, P., Medina, C., Sánchez, J. (2023). Chloride migration for concrete containing recycled aggregate and supplementary cementitious material. Proc. of 3rd CACRCS Workshop on Capacity Assessment of Corroded Reinforced Concrete Structures, Parma, September 13-15 2023.
Belletti, B., Bernardi, P., Fornoni, P., Malcevschi, A., Sirico, A. (2023). Development of sustainable cementitious materials by using biochar Lectures Notes in Civil Engineering 351, 427-440, Italian Concrete Conference ICC2021, virtual, online, 14-17 Apr 2021, doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-37955-0_31; ISBN 978-303137954-3.
Belletti B., Bernardi P., Sirico A., Balbo A., Zanotto F. (2022), “Experimental bond behaviour of reinforced concrete with recycled plastic aggregates”. Proceedings of 6th fib International Congress 2022 “Concrete Innovation for sustainability”, Oslo, Norway,12-16 June 2022, 807-816, code 286399, ISBN 978-294064315-8.
Zanotto, F., Sirico, A., Merchiori, S., Vecchi, F., Balbo, A., Bernardi, P., Belletti, B., Malcevschi, A., Grassi, V., Monticelli, C. (2022). “Durability of Reinforced Concrete Containing Biochar and Recycled Polymers”. In Key Engineering Materials, 919 KEM: pp. 188-196, Trans Tech Publications Ltd, International workshop on Engineered Materials For Sustainable Structures (EM4SS21), online, 26 – 28 April 2021, open access.
Sirico A., Bernardi P., Sciancalepore C., Milanese D., Ferraris M., Belletti B. (2021), “Fracture behavior of concretes containing MSWI vitrified bottom ash”, Procedia Structural Integrity 39 (C), 494-502, code 147548 (Gold open access).
Sirico A., Vecchi F., Sciancalepore C., Belletti B., Bernardi P., Malcevschi A., Milanese D. (2021), “Mechanical Properties of Concretes Containing Biochar and Recycled Plastic Aggregate”, Proceedings of fib Symposium “Concrete Structures: New Trends for Eco-Efficiency and Performance”, online 14-16 June 2021.
Zanotto, F., Sirico A., Vecchi, F., Balbo A., Bernardi P., Belletti B., Malcevschi A., Grassi V. Merchiori, S., Monticelli, C., (2021), “Durability of reinforced concrete containing biochar”. fib CACRCS DAYS 2020, Virtual, online – 2nd workshop on Capacity Assessment of Corroded RC Structures, 1-4 Dec 2020, pp. 65-72.
Restuccia, L., Ferro, G. A., Suarez-Riera, D., Sirico, A., Bernardi, P., Belletti, B., & Malcevschi, A. (2020). “Mechanical characterization of different biochar-based cement composites”. Procedia Structural Integrity, focussed on VCSI 2020 First Virtual Conference on Structural Integrity, vol. 25, pp. 226-233, ISSN: 2452-3216, doi: 10.1016/j.prostr.2020.04.027.
Belletti B., Bernardi P., Malcevschi A., Sirico A., (2019), “Experimental research on mechanical properties of biochar-added cementitious mortars”, Proceedings of fib Symposium 2019 “Concrete – Innovations in Materials, Design and Structures”, Krakov, Poland, 27-29 May 2019, 415-422.
Bernardi, P., Sirico, A., Belletti, B., Paini, A., & Vignali, G. (2022). Prestazioni eco-meccaniche di calcestruzzi contenenti ceneri vetrificate da rifiuti solidi urbani soggetti ad incenerimento / Eco-mechanical performances of concrete containing vitrified ash derived from municipal solid waste incineration, In Italian Concrete Conference ICC2022, Napoli, 12-15 Ott 2022, pp. 45-52.
Belletti, B., Bernardi, P., Ravasini, S., Sirico, A., Milanese, D., Sciancalepore, C., Malavasi, M., Cortese, A. (2023). Vitrified beads as aggregate replacement for sustainable cementitious materials. IALCCE2023, Eight International Symposium on Life-Cycle Civil Engineering, Milano, July 2-6, 2023.
Plaza, P., Medina, C., Sirico, A., Belletti, B., Bernardi, P., Sánchez, J. (2023). Use of coarse recycled concrete aggregates and vitrified MSW ash in eco-concrete design. IALCCE2023, Eight International Symposium on Life-Cycle Civil Engineering, Milano, July 2-6, 2023.
Belletti, B., Bernardi, P., Sirico, A. (2023). Use of bottom ash from municipal solid waste incineration for the development of green concrete with reduced carbon footprint. 6th MatER Meeting & 7th Conference on Final Sinks, Piacenza, June 2023.
Ruffini V., Cappucci G.M., Neri P., Sirico A., Zanotto F., Balbo A., Belletti B., Bernardi P., Malcevschi A., Monticelli C., Ferrari A.M. (2022). “Life cycle assessment of a bridge column made of concrete and biochar”, Proceedings of the Symposium SUM 2022 “Sixth Symposium On Circular Economy And Urban Mining”, Capri, Italy, 18-20 May 2022
Belletti B., Bernardi P., Malcevschi A., Milanese D., Sciancalepore C., Sirico A., Vecchi F. (2021), “Development of innovative circular cementitious materials containing waste”, Proceedings of 5th MatER (materials & energy from refuse) Meeting & 6th Conference on Final Sinks “Recovery & Final Sinks for an Effective Waste Management”, 7-9 June 2021, Piacenza (Italy).
Belletti B., Bernardi P., Malcevschi A., Sirico A. (2019), “Application of biochar for the development of carbon sink building materials”, IBI Biochar World Congress 2019, 10 -14 November 2019, Seoul, Korea.