CIRI FRAME- CIRI EC/Sea Engineering Research Group

The Sea Engineering research group, led by staff from DICAM, operates between Ravenna — at the Ex Asili site in Via Tombesi dall’Ova — and Bologna, where it has access to the advanced facilities of the Hydraulics Laboratory, including a maritime tank for wave simulation.

The activities focus on applied research and innovation in key areas related to renewable energy, design of maritime works and coastal defence. In particular, the group is engaged in the following lines of research:

• Technical and economic feasibility of plants for generating power from renewable sources (mini-hydro, wind, wave conversion).
• Development and optimisation of wave energy conversion devices, with two patents already filed.
• Study of wave-structure interactions, to simulate the behaviour of floating platforms and systems, with applications related to Blue Growth.
• Design and optimisation of maritime structures such as vertical-wall or berm breakwaters, introducing innovative solutions that enhance efficiency and reduce costs.
• Coastal defence strategies, ranging from traditional works to more sustainable, nature-based methodologies for soil protection and flood prevention.

To carry out these activities, the team uses 1D and 2D numerical models, CFD codes and the facilities of the Hydraulics Laboratory, which is equipped with a channel and a wave generator tank.

Researchers at the Ocean and Coastal Engineering laboratory support designers and developers by means of experimental laboratory testing, in-situ monitoring and advanced modelling, while also providing support to entities involved in marine environmental management and water defence.