The research group develops advanced experimental mechanics and non-destructive testing methods using infrared thermography, Digital Image Correlation (DIC), and artificial intelligence. Research activities focus on deformation assessment, the development and characterization of auxetic, TPMS (Triply Periodic Minimal Surface), and hybrid cellular structures, together with the analysis of energy absorption properties of polymer composites, and the development of thermographic data processing methods for non-destructive evaluation. The group also conducts biomechanical testing of bone structures and applies machine learning algorithms for the classification and identification of building structures based on thermographic imagery.

• Development of advanced deformation evaluation methods based on machine learning through the correlation of thermographic data and Digital Image Correlation (DIC)
• Development, dynamic testing, and thermographic/DIC evaluation of novel auxetic, TPMS, and hybrid cellular structures
• Evaluation of energy absorption characteristics of polymer composites manufactured using additive manufacturing and polymer injection molding technologies
• Non-destructive testing of metals and composites using active infrared thermography
• Development of advanced thermographic image processing and filtering techniques for non-destructive evaluation
• Biomechanical testing and analysis
• AI-based classification of thermographic images for building structure identification and characterization

Laboratories

• B111, C706/A, C707

Equipment

• INSTRON servo-hydraulic dynamic testing machine
• Instrumented INSTRON 9450 drop tower (impact energy up to 1.8 kJ, impact velocity up to 24 m/s)
• FLIR SC5000 cooled mid-wave infrared camera
• 6 kJ Xenon flash system
• HBM MGCplus multi-channel measurement amplifier for strain gauges and thermocouples
• Non-destructive testing equipment: ultrasonic testing, liquid penetrant testing, magnetic particle inspection, and UV lamp
• NextEngine 3D scanner
• Prusa i3 MK3S fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printer, Prusa SL2 Speed stereolithography (SLA) 3D printer
• Krautkramer DM4 thickness gauge
• Krautkramer USM Go ultrasonic flaw detector with straight-beam, angle-beam, and composite testing probes
• AlphaDur Mini UCI hardness tester
• DynaRock II rebound hardness tester
• FLIR E96 long-wave infrared camera (thermal sensitivity 0.04 K, resolution 640 × 420 pixels)

• STRENGTH Interreg Italy-Croatia
• AIRRSTRUCT Institutional Research Project

• Thermographic inspection and analysis of equipment, industrial plants, buildings, and engineering structures
• Detection, assessment, and remediation recommendations for moisture and condensation-related issues in buildings
• Static and dynamic testing of structures (using strain gauge measurements and thermoelastic stress analysis) and materials (using a servo-hydraulic dynamic testing machine)
• Impact testing at velocities up to 24 m/s (drop tower testing)
• Ultrasonic testing and inspection
• Liquid penetrant and magnetic particle testing
• Visual inspection
• Measurement of protective coating thickness on metal structures
• In-situ material hardness testing
• Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
• CAD modeling and design
• 3D scanning and digitization