Ricerc@Sapienza

This study focuses on multi-hazard analysis for bridges, following a two-tier approach. First, it identifies relevant open issues and recent literature developments in the field, presenting data in a meaningful manner, with specific focus on the issues related with the analysis of hazard chain scenario treated as low probability–high consequence events. Second, it describes a practically useful and sufficiently generic approach for efficient computational investigation of hazard chain scenarios in highway bridges.

Mediterranean forests are fragile ecosystems vulnerable to recent global warming and reduction of precipitation, and a long-term negative effect is expected on vegetation with increasing drought and in areas burnt by fires. We investigated the spatial distribution of genetic variation of Arbutus unedo in the western Iberia Peninsula, using plastid markers with conservation and provenance regions design purposes.

Hydrogen leakage and fire ignition and propagation are safety concerns in several industrial plants. In a nuclear fusion power plants the separation of hydrogen and tritium takes place in different steps, among which one or more electrolyzers are foreseen. A fire scenario could take place in case of leakage of hydrogen. In such cases, it is important to prevent the spreading of the fire to adjacent rooms and, at the same time, to withstand the pressure load on walls, to avoid radioactivity release in the surrounding environment.

The main features of Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are high energy and power density, which make this storage technology suitable for portable electronics, power tools, and hybrid/full electric vehicles. Moreover, during conditions that lead to failure, Li-ion battery cells could undergo into a process called thermal runaway, which has resulted in numerous fire accidents. Thermal runaway implies a rapid increase in battery cells temperature, accompanied by the release of flammable gases. These flammable gases could be easily ignited by the battery’s high temperature, resulting in a fire.

Li-ion batteries had a great development in recent years, and their use has grown massively because of their higher energy and power density with respect to traditional ones. However, their high energy density implies great danger in the event of malfunctions or failures, due to the emission of toxic and highly flammable substances. In the worst case, thermal runaway can occur. It is a chain reaction where unwanted reactions take place that leads to an uncontrolled and unstoppable increase in temperature. It can cause uncontrolled combustion and then explosion with great danger.