Marco Barla

Marco Barla's picture

Full Professor (L. 240)
Department of Structural, Geotechnical and Building Engineering (DISEG)

  • Member of Interdepartmental Center Ec-L - Energy Center Lab
  • Referente Scientifico of the European Association ELGIP - European Large Geotechnical Institutes Platform

Profile

Research interests

Geotechnical engineering
Geothermal energy
Microtunnelling
Numerical analysis
Rock mechanics
Slope stability
Tunnelling

Biography

Marco Barla is a Full Professor of Geotechnical Engineering (ICAR/07) at the Department of Structural, Geotechnical and Building Engineering (DISEG) of the Politecnico di Torino and an expert consultant for tunnelling and slope stability problems. Leads a research group active in the field of laboratory testing on soils and rocks, numerical modelling, tunnel excavation, slope stability, geotechnical monitoring and energy geostructures (www.rockmech.polito.it). Editor in Chief of the ASCE International Journal of Geomechanics, past President of ELGIP - European Large Geotechnical Institutes Platform, member of the Osservatorio Gallerie CSLLPP. Holds academic duties as the Rector's Advisor for sports activities, member of the University Quality Control Center and member of the Department's Board, elected member of the Board of Unisport Italia, the network of Italian Universities on Academic Sport. Author of a textbook, founder of a spin-off company, holds two patents (Enertun and Geothermskin) and published around two hundred scientific papers in international, and national journals and conference proceedings. Responsible for 70 research projects and contracts on national and international funds for a total funding of more than 2 M€. Member of AGI, Associazione Geotecnica Italiana, of the ISSMGE, International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, of ISRM, International Society for Rock Mechanics, of ASCE, American Society for Civil Engineers, Board member of IACMAG, International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics. Received the Iacmag Award in 2005, the Best Paper at the 11th ISRM Congress in 2007, the ‘IACMAG Excellent Contributions Award’ in 2011, the Telford Premium from the Institution of Civil Engineers in 2016 and the nomination among the top 5 projects of the European Geothermal Innovation Award for Enertun in 2018.

Scientific branch

CEAR-05/A - Geotechnical engineering
(Area 0008 - Civil engineering and architecture)

Research topics

  • Debris flow and snow avalanche detection Research in this area is devoted to developing and implementing new techniques and methods for the detection and monitoring of debris flows and snow avalanches. The real-time detection of potentially destructive water, earth and snow mixtures such as debris flow and avalanches is a topic of growing interest to mitigate the risk in areas densely anthropized such as the Alpine region.
  • Thermoactive geostructures for near-surface geothermal energy. This research field is devoted to investigate the possibility of implementing geothermal plants into concrete structures in contact with the ground, such as foundations, retaining walls, tunnel lining and diaphragms. This new technology couples the primary role of geostructures with the geothermal energy exploitation, resulting in a reduction of installation costs with respect to classical geothermal systems. Energy geostructures are low enthalpy systems which can be used for purpose of cooling and heating of buildings and infrastructures, as well as for road de-icing.
  • Tunneling design and construction. Research in this area focuses on tunnelling in difficult conditions (swelling, squeezing, brittle behaviour).

Skills

ERC sectors

PE8_3 - Civil engineering, architecture, maritime/hydraulic engineering, geotechnics, waste treatment

SDG

Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy
Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities
Goal 13: Climate action

Awards and Honors

  • Best Paper Certificate conferred by International Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM) (2007)
  • IACMAG Excellent Contributions Award conferred by International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics (IACMAG) (2011)
  • Telford Premium conferred by Institution of Civil Engineers - London, United Kingdom, United kingdom (2016)

Fellowships

Editorial boards

  • SOILS & ROCKS (2021-), Editorial board member
  • INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GEOMECHANICS (2020-), Editor of magazine, editorial series, encyclopaedia
  • TUNNELLING AND UNDERGROUND SPACE TECHNOLOGY (2015-), Editorial board member

Conferences

  • Iacmag 2021 - Challenges and innovation in Geomechanics (1/1/2021-8/5/2021), Program chair

Research networks

Non-commercial collaboration agreements

Teaching

Collegi of the PhD programmes

  • INGEGNERIA CIVILE E AMBIENTALE, 2024/2025 (40. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • INGEGNERIA CIVILE E AMBIENTALE, 2023/2024 (39. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • INGEGNERIA CIVILE E AMBIENTALE, 2022/2023 (38. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • INGEGNERIA CIVILE E AMBIENTALE, 2021/2022 (37. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • INGEGNERIA CIVILE E AMBIENTALE, 2020/2021 (36. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • INGEGNERIA PER LA GESTIONE DELLE ACQUE E DEL TERRITORIO, 2009/2010 (25. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • INGEGNERIA PER LA GESTIONE DELLE ACQUE E DEL TERRITORIO, 2008/2009 (24. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • INGEGNERIA PER LA GESTIONE DELLE ACQUE E DEL TERRITORIO, 2007/2008 (23. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
  • INGEGNERIA PER LA GESTIONE DELLE ACQUE E DEL TERRITORIO, 2006/2007 (22. ciclo)
    Politecnico di TORINO
MostraNascondi collegi passati

Collegi of the degree programmes

Teachings

PhD

MostraNascondi A.A. passati

Master of Science

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Bachelor of Science

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Teaching and training projects

Projects funded by commercial contracts

Research

Research fields

Research projects

Projects funded by competitive calls

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Projects funded by commercial contracts

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Supervised PhD students

  • Juliana Lopez Ochoa. Programme in Ingegneria Civile E Ambientale (40th cycle, 2024-in progress)
    Research subject: Reuse of existing tunnels for energy storage
    Geotechnical Engineering
    Infrastructures
    Numerical Modelling and Simulation
    Soil and Rock Mechanics
    Geotechnical Engineering
    Infrastructures
    Numerical Modelling and Simulation
    Soil and Rock Mechanics
  • Francesco Campana. Programme in Ingegneria Civile E Ambientale (39th cycle, 2023-in progress)
    Research subject: Time-dependent behaviour of geomaterials
    Geotechnical Engineering
    Infrastructures
    Numerical Modelling and Simulation
    Soil and Rock Mechanics
    Geotechnical Engineering
    Infrastructures
    Numerical Modelling and Simulation
    Soil and Rock Mechanics
  • Maria Romana Alvi. Programme in Ingegneria Civile E Ambientale (38th cycle, 2022-in progress)
    Research subject: Energy geostructures: integration with other energy sources and heat storage in soil and rocks.
    Geotechnical Engineering
    Numerical Modelling and Simulation
    Soil and Rock Mechanics
    Geotechnical Engineering
    Numerical Modelling and Simulation
    Soil and Rock Mechanics
  • Amirreza Pourfatollah. Programme in Ingegneria Civile E Ambientale (38th cycle, 2023-in progress)
    Research subject: Climate change effects on landslide in Alpine region
    Geotechnical Engineering
    Infrastructures
    Numerical Modelling and Simulation
    Soil and Rock Mechanics
    Geotechnical Engineering
    Infrastructures
    Numerical Modelling and Simulation
    Soil and Rock Mechanics
    Geotechnical Engineering
    Infrastructures
    Numerical Modelling and Simulation
    Soil and Rock Mechanics
  • Simone De Feudis. Programme in Ingegneria Civile E Ambientale (37th cycle, 2022-in progress)
    Thesis: Energy retrofitting of existing tunnels - from conceptualization to full-scale implementation
    Geotechnical Engineering
    Numerical Modelling and Simulation
    Soil and Rock Mechanics
    Geotechnical Engineering
    Numerical Modelling and Simulation
    Soil and Rock Mechanics
  • Chongyang Wang. Programme in Ingegneria Civile E Ambientale (37th cycle, 2021-in progress)
    Research subject: Mechanical seepage mechanism of water-saturated shale under cyclic stress and analysis of roadway stability of water-saturated surrounding rock
    Civil Works
    Geoengineering
    Geotechnical Engineering
    Numerical Modelling and Simulation
    Civil Works
    Geoengineering
    Geotechnical Engineering
    Numerical Modelling and Simulation
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