Pietro Cornetti

Pietro Cornetti is an Associate Professor in the Department of Structural, Building and Geotechnical Engineering (DISEG) at the Politecnico di Torino, where he also serves as Coordinator of the Doctoral School in Civil and Environmental Engineering. He is a member of the SISCON Interdepartmental Center for the Safety of Infrastructures and Constructions and the Doctoral School Council. His academic career has been deeply rooted at Politecnico di Torino, where he completed his education and has held continuous academic positions since 1999.

His research interests span a broad spectrum of solid and fracture mechanics, with a focus on finite fracture mechanics, fractional calculus, fractal geometry, non-local elasticity, size effects in concrete and granular materials, and structural retrofitting using FRP/FRCM systems. His work bridges theoretical mechanics with practical applications in civil engineering and structural integrity.

The 15 most recent publications highlight a strong trend toward integrating advanced mathematical frameworks—particularly fractional calculus and phase-field modeling—with classical and finite fracture mechanics. These works address brittle fracture, dynamic crack propagation, fatigue in composites, and debonding phenomena, demonstrating a consistent focus on improving predictive models for structural failure across scales.

He actively mentors PhD students and leads major research initiatives, including the H2020-funded NEWFRAC project and the nationally funded REHARZE project on retrofitting historic architecture for zero emissions. His teaching portfolio includes Solid Mechanics, Structural Mechanics, Fracture and Plasticity, and advanced topics in computational mechanics across undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels.

He is affiliated with several professional organizations:

• Italian Group of Fracture (IGF)
• Italian Association of Applied and Theoretical Mechanics (AIMETA)
• European Structural Integrity Society (ESIS), Technical Committee TC16

He has served on the program committee of the International Conference on Fracture (ICF14) and participated in the organizing committee of AIMETA XXI. His research is supported by competitive grants from national (PRIN) and EU (H2020) funding programs.

He supervises a research group focused on fracture mechanics and leads the Laboratorio di Meccanica della Frattura (DISEG), which supports experimental and computational research in structural integrity. His team works on both theoretical developments and practical applications in civil and environmental engineering.