Italy’s Hidden Hillforts: A Large-Scale Lidar-Based Mapping of Samnium

This article presents the first results of the Ancient Hillforts Survey, a large-scale lidar-based analysis and ground-truthing aimed at creating a representative and comparative dataset of hillforts in Italy unbiased by site location or vegetational canopy. An analysis of 15,300 km2 spanning Campania, Lazio, Abruzzo, Molise, and Apulia detected 305 new suspected hillforts. The area was visually interpreted using image blends of lidar visualizations (VAT method) based on in-house-generated digital terrain models. Interobserver and intraobserver interpretational biases were tested and CORINE Land Cover data used to evaluate the representativeness of the legacy data compared with the new dataset and to estimate the number of sites for no-data areas. The results from the Daunian mountains (Apulia) are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach in advancing knowledge of historically under-surveyed areas and in addressing long-term debates. Here, the data showed a novel hillfort system interpretable as Samnite, dating between the 6th and 3rd century b.c

A new method for the energetics analysis of polygonal masonry in Samnite hillforts (Italy)

This article presents a statistically grounded method for the comparative analysis of polygonal masonry and the calculation of their architectural energetics. Four wall stretches of different Samnite hillforts (5th-3rd century BCE) have been recorded through 3D modelling to generate models suitable for calculating three variables (area, rectangularity and gap area) used for a comparative assessment of the different building techniques involved in their construction. This allowed the identification of masonry styles related to different costs of labor which were used to produce cross-regional energetic indexes suitable for the cost analysis of several hundred hillforts in south-central Italy. This formal and replicable approach to the cost analysis of polygonal masonry is not only suitable for analysing sites in Italy, but can also be applied to similar sites found widely in the Mediterranean

Model-based design and optimization of a dielectric elastomer power take-off for oscillating wave surge energy converters

This paper investigates a new kind of device for producing electricity from the mechanical energy carried by ocean waves. The proposed machine, named poly-surge, is based on an existing sea-bottom hinged surging-flap concept that is equipped with a new power take-off (PTO) system based on a novel soft dielectric elastomer (DE) transducer. DEs are highly deformable polymeric materials that can be used to conceive electrostatic generators relying on capacitance variation. This kind of generators shows a number of features that well match the requirements of a wave energy converter since they are light-weight, low-cost, tolerant to salty/aggressive marine environment, noise-free during operation, and easy to manufacture and install. The considered poly-surge converter employs a parallelogram-shaped DE generator (PS-DEG) arranged in a dual agonist–antagonist configuration, which makes it possible to provide the flap with controllable bidirectional torques. In this paper, first a complete wave-to-wire multiphysics model of the overall system is described that assumes a simplified hydrodynamic response for the hinged-flap and an electro-hyperelastic behaviour of the PS-DEG. Second, a procedure is presented for the dimensioning and optimization of the PS-DEG for given sets of poly-surge flap dimensions, wave-climate information and constraints on both design and operational variables. Finally, simulation results are provided to demonstrate that the poly-surge can achieve quasi-optimal power production with a properly designed agonist–antagonist DEG PTO system

Modeling of a heaving buoy wave energy converter with stacked dielectric elastomer generator

This paper introduces a novel architecture of Wave Energy Converter (WEC) provided with a Dielectric Elastomer (DE) Power Take-Off (PTO) system. The device, named Poly-Buoy, includes a heaving buoy as primary interface, that captures the mechanical energy from waves, and a DE Generator (DEG), made by stacked layers of silicone elastomer, that converts mechanical energy into electricity. A mathematical model of the Poly-Buoy is proposed, which includes analytical electro-hyperlastic equations for the DEG and a linear model for wave-buoy hydrodynamics. Procedures for the design and optimization of different layouts and control strategies for the DE-PTO are introduced that specifically consider single-DEG and dual-DEG architectures. A numerical case study is also reported for specific geometrical dimensions of the buoy and specific wave climate data

Parallelogram-shaped dielectric elastomer generators: Analytical model and experimental validation

Dielectric elastomers are smart materials that can be used to conceive solid-state electromechanical transducers such as actuators, sensors, and generators. Dielectric elastomer generators, in particular, are very promising for energy harvesting applications because they potentially feature large energy densities, good conversion efficiencies, good shock and corrosion resistance, and low cost. In this article, a novel concept of parallelogram-shaped dielectric elastomer generator is presented and analyzed. Parallelogram-shaped dielectric elastomer generators are rotary variable capacitance transducers, which are made by planar dielectric elastomer membranes that are covered with compliant electrodes and clamped along their perimeter to the links of a parallelogram four-bar mechanism. First, an analytical model for the electro-hyperelastic response of the parallelogram-shaped dielectric elastomer generator is described and used to assess the maximum theoretical performances of the device. Then, an experimental case study with a parallelogram-shaped dielectric elastomer generator prototype featuring a natural rubber dielectric elastomer membrane and carbon conductive grease electrodes is presented. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate the practical feasibility of the parallelogram-shaped dielectric elastomer generator concept

Experimental characterization of a new class of polymeric-wire coiled transducers

The recent discovery of a new kind of thermo-Active coiled polymeric wires has opened new perspectives for the implementation of a novel class of actuators that can be easily and effectively manufactured using low-cost materials such as sewing threads or finishing lines. These new devices feature large displacements in response to temperature variations and show very promising performance in terms of energy and power densities. With the aim of providing information and data useful for the future engineering applications of polymeric coiled actuators, a custom experimental test-bench and procedure have been developed and employed to characterise their thermo-mechanical response. Such a test-bench has been designed to run isothermal and isometric tensile tests on a set of sample actuators that are fabricated with a repeatable process. This paper provides technical details on the manufacturing process of such sample actuators and on the design and operation of the test-bench. Preliminary experimental results are finally reported

Early heat waves over Italy and their impacts on durum wheat yields

In the last decades the Euro-Mediterranean region has experienced an increase in extreme temperature events such as heat waves. These extreme weather conditions can strongly affect arable crop growth and final yields. Here, early heat waves over Italy from 1995 to 2013 are identified and characterised and their impact on durum wheat yields is investigated. As expected, results confirm the impact of the 2003 heat wave and highlight a high percentage of concurrence of early heat waves and significant negative yield anomalies in 13 out of 39 durum wheat production areas. In south-eastern Italy (the most important area for durum wheat production), the percentage of concurrent events exceeds 80%.JRC.H.4-Monitoring Agricultural Resource

Application of an immunoproteomic approach to detect anti-profilin antibodies in sera of paritaria judaica allergic patients

Pollen from grasses, weeds, and trees constitutes one of the main sources of inhalant allergens frequently associated with seasonal patterns of allergic diseases. Pollen allergens show some analogies in the amino acids sequence which determine immunological similarity and cross reactivity. Parietaria judaica (P.j) pollen represents one of the main sources of allergens in the Mediterranean area and its major allergens have already been identified (Par j 1 and Par j 2). Recently, has been also described a minor allergen, profilin (Par j 3), an allergen present in pollen of trees, grasses and weeds. Allergenic plant profilins constitute a highly conserved family with sequence identities of 70% to 85% responsible for a wide range of cross-reactivity among pollens and plant foods. In this work we use an immunoproteomic approach to detect IgE antibodies against profilin in serum of P.j allergic patients