Dr Matteo Pedrotti
Senior Lecturer
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Personal statement
Personal statement
My research focuses on the design and characterization of advanced composite systems of geomaterials and synthesised hydrogels. The nano and micro scale characterization of such systems aims to understand the role of atmospheric interactions (i.e. water evaporation), stress history and groundwater chemistry on their hydro-meachnical characteristics, and thus allows for engineering of advanced porous networks with unprecedented macroscopic bulk performances. My research bridges the gap between fundamental research carried out at the scale of nano-to-micro particle interaction and engineering performance at the field scale. My vision is to establish a research group in geomechanics to pursue a new generation of “super soils” which, for instance, will have: enhanced water retention and adsorption capabilities for agriculture; enhanced mechanical strength for earth construction; self-healing potential for protection against desiccation cracking; zero water permeability for the formation of ground barriers against contaminant migration
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Publications
- A transport model for the permeation of colloidal silica
- Pedrotti Matteo, Lyons Joseph, El Mountassir Grainne, Kuras Oliver, Lunn Rebecca J
- Acta Geotechnica (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-026-03117-z
- Magnetic nanoparticle constructs for in situ repair of critical cementitious infrastructure
- Calì E, Pedrotti M, Sernicola G, Fearn S, Vandeperre L, Lunn R J, Ryan MP
- Journal of Materials Chemistry A Vol 14, pp. 21029-21039 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1039/D6TA01009A
- Applications of alginate in geotechnical engineering and construction : a review
- Alawadhi Abdulaziz, Pedrotti Matteo, Tubaldi Enrico
- Buildings Vol 16 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16040775
- A microstructural insight into the compression behaviour of scaly clays
- Pedrotti Matteo, Tarantino Alessandro, Annese Antonio, Cotecchia Federica, Vitone Claudia
- Géotechnique Vol 75, pp. 459-471 (2025)
- https://doi.org/10.1680/jgeot.23.00269
- Drying-induced volumetric behaviour of clays interpreted via binary pore-scale modelling
- Pedrotti Matteo, Xu Long, Murray Ian William, Tarantino Alessandro
- Computers and Geotechnics Vol 165 (2024)
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2023.105911
- PLATYMATCH- A particle-matching algorithm for the analysis of platy particle kinematics using X-ray Computed Tomography
- Ibeh Christopher U, Pedrotti Matteo, Tarantino Alessandro, Lunn Rebecca
- Computers and Geotechnics Vol 138 (2021)
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2021.104367
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Professional Activities
- Strategic Themes: EPSRC Multi-Disciplinary IM3AGES Facility Workshop
- Participant
- 26/2/2025
- IS-Grenoble2024 international symposium
- Participant
- 23/9/2024
- ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering (Journal)
- Peer reviewer
- 8/2024
- Scientific Reports (Journal)
- Peer reviewer
- 6/2024
- Geotechnical Engineering Course (CL-314)
- Organiser
- 22/2/2024
- Grout Group
- Participant
- 7/2/2024
Projects
- NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION OF GEOSTRUCTURES
- Tarantino, Alessandro (Principal Investigator) Pedrotti, Matteo (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2025 - 30-Jan-2028
- Exploring the use of natural fibres to improve the resilience of unreinforced masonry structures in Malawi
- Tubaldi, Enrico (Principal Investigator) Pedrotti, Matteo (Co-investigator)
- The project aims to investigate the effectiveness of using natural plant or animal fibres to develop sustainable construction and retrofit techniques targeting unreinforced masonry (UM) structures in Malawi, to increase the resilience against earthquakes, storms, and floods.
Non-engineered UM structures are the most popular construction dwelling typology in Malawi. Past devastating earthquakes (1500+ houses collapsed in the 2009 earthquake) and natural disasters (260,000+ houses damaged/destroyed by cyclone Freddy in 2023) have proven the high vulnerability of these structures and the need for effective strengthening solutions. There is also a need for more sustainable construction techniques based on unfired blocks to avoid recourse to fired brick, whose manufacturing has accelerated the loss of trees (Malawi risks of losing all its trees in 25- 30 years from the brick industry alone).
A study will be conducted to assess the fibres that could be locally available in Malawi and have the potential to be used within a circular economy framework. Different prototypes of unfired compressed blocks and plasters incorporating natural fibres will be created and tested. A workshop will be held in Malawi to disseminate the research outcomes and prepare the grounds for in-field testing and follow-on funding applications.
Funder: ISPF collaborative project between University of Strathclyde and Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences
Funding: £24,986 - 21-Jan-2024 - 31-Jan-2025
- NWS - Use of quick clays for GDF (Lucas Hand - extension to REA)
- Pedrotti, Matteo (Principal Investigator)
- 01-Jan-2024 - 30-Jan-2025
- Experimental characterization of Bentonite hydromechanical behaviour in high salinity environment
- Pedrotti, Matteo (Principal Investigator) Lunn, Rebecca (Academic) Samadi, Parisa (Post Grad Student)
- The Global Research Studentship will cover 3 years of international fees for an equivalent amount of £62k
- 02-Jan-2023 - 30-Jan-2026
- Experimental characterization of Bentonite hydromechanical behaviour in high salinity environment
- Pedrotti, Matteo (Principal Investigator)
- 01-Jan-2023 - 30-Jan-2027
- Compact portable photosynthesis system
- Pedrotti, Matteo (Principal Investigator) Tarantino, Alessandro (Co-investigator) El Mountassir, Grainne (Co-investigator)
- This equipment measures plant physiological activity by monitoring gas exchange and fluorescence emission at the leaf. This is key to analyse hydraulic interaction between plant, soil, fungi, bacteria and atmosphere, which are relevant to geotechnics (plants enhance soil strength), agriculture (soil controls water availability to plants) and soil-remediation (plants remove contaminants from the soil).
- 01-Jan-2023 - 30-Jan-2024
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Contact
Dr
Matteo
Pedrotti
Senior Lecturer
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Email: matteo.pedrotti@strath.ac.uk
Tel: Unlisted