NICOLA ROVERI

Nicola Roveri
Associate Professor – Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome
ORCID: 0000-0003-3440-0566
Email: nicola.roveri@uniroma1.it

Profile
Associate Professor in applied mechanics and mechanical system dynamics, with research activity focused on mechanical vibrations, vehicle dynamics, smart sensing, optical fibre/Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) monitoring, structural health monitoring, signal processing, data-driven modelling and digital-twin-oriented experimental validation. His research combines theoretical modelling, numerical simulation and experimental testing, with applications to smart tyres, vehicle and infrastructure monitoring, dynamic testing, accident/event detection and advanced mechanical systems.
Current and Previous Positions
Current: Associate Professor in Applied Mechanics / Mechanical Systems Dynamics, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
2020–2022: Tenure-track Assistant Professor / RTD-B, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
2019: Research Fellow, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. Research activity on intelligent systems for infrastructures and vehicles.
2017–2018: Research Fellow, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. Research activity on modelling and control of dynamical systems.
2016–2017: Research Fellow, CNIT – Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Telecomunicazioni, Parma, Italy. Research activity within the ITS 2020 project on sensing and data monitoring systems for smart wheels.
2014–2016: Research Fellow, CNR-INSEAN, Rome, Italy. Research activity on monitoring and diagnostic methods for structural applications.
2011–2014: Research Fellow, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. Research activity on early-stage structural damage identification in railway systems.
2008–2009: Tyre Design Engineer, Bridgestone Technical Centre Europe, Castel Romano, Italy. Employed under the chemical industry collective agreement, level A1; activities related to tyre design, tyre dynamics and experimental analysis.
Education and Training
2005: Master Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 110/110 cum laude. Thesis on pseudo-damped dynamical systems.
2005–2009: PhD in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Sapienza University of Rome. Thesis on energy sharing processes in complex resonators.
2007–2008: Visiting PhD Researcher, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA. Joint research activities with Sapienza University of Rome on innovative engineering systems with high damping properties.
2010: Post-doctorate training, CISM, Udine, Italy. Variational Models and Methods in Solid and Fluid Mechanics.
2012: SYSWIND Summer School, University of Patras, Greece. Control, Health Monitoring and Wind Energy / Power Grid Energy.
Main Research Areas
Dynamical systems, mechanical vibrations, damping, vibro-acoustics and energy exchange in complex structures.
Signal processing and data-driven modelling for structural health monitoring and early-stage damage detection.
Optical fibre / FBG sensing for monitoring of tyres, infrastructures, railway systems and large mechanical structures.
Smart tyre and OPTYRE technology for strain-based estimation of contact patch, grip-related indicators, rolling resistance and dissipated power.
Vehicle dynamics, smart sensing, accident/event detection from kinematic and black-box data, semi-active suspensions and control.
Digital-twin-oriented modelling, experimental validation and fusion between data, physical models and sensing systems.
Roles and Responsibilities
Responsible for teaching, research supervision and scientific activities in applied mechanics, mechanical system dynamics, vehicle dynamics, smart sensing, signal processing and structural health monitoring. Within the COMeT PRIN 2026 proposal, he is involved as responsible for the UNIROMA research unit, with responsibilities related to the smart tyre demonstrator, FBG-based sensing, digital-twin modelling, experimental validation and coordination of local research activities.
Scientific responsible for the DIMA–Motosprint / MotoMetrics Lab collaboration, aimed at developing objective protocols for vehicle and motorcycle dynamic testing, advanced sensing and data-driven performance indicators. Coordination and supervision of experimental activities related to smart tyre / OPTYRE technology, FBG-based strain measurements, track testing and vehicle dynamics analysis, also in connection with the Circuito di Vallelunga Pietro Taruffi / Racing Science Center.
Teaching Activities and Supervision
Since 2015, continuous teaching activity at Sapienza University of Rome in applied mechanics, mechanical vibrations, mechatronics, signal analysis and vehicle dynamics. Courses include Mechanical Vibrations, Mechatronics and Vibrations, Lab of Signal Analysis and Mechatronics, Applied Mechanics, Mechatronics in Green Industrial Applications and Vehicle System Dynamics, mainly within Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree programmes in Mechanical Engineering, Control Engineering and Green Industrial Engineering. Supervision and co-supervision of Master’s theses and PhD-related research activities on smart tyres, fibre-optic sensing, SHM, vehicle dynamics, data-driven modelling and experimental validation of advanced mechanical systems.
National and International Collaborations and Networks
Carnegie Mellon University, USA: joint PhD research on engineering systems with high damping properties.
Bridgestone Technical Centre Europe: industrial experience on tyre and vehicle-related technologies.
CNR-INSEAN and CNIT: research on structural monitoring, diagnostics, smart wheel sensing and data acquisition.
Circuito di Vallelunga Pietro Taruffi / Racing Science Center: vehicle testing, smart tyre validation and track-based experimental activities.
Motosprint / Corriere dello Sport group: MotoMetrics Lab collaboration on objective vehicle and motorcycle dynamic testing, scientific test protocols, advanced sensing and data-driven performance indicators.
CIRA: collaboration on structural monitoring and de-icing concepts for aeronautical applications.
SENSIROAD: sensing systems for road infrastructures, viaduct damage detection and monitoring.
GLOBESENSE, with OctoTelematics: algorithms for vehicle black-box data analysis and accident/event detection.
OPTOBRIDGE, with BASF: FBG-based monitoring of railway/bridge structures.
SECURE PLATFORM, with Fincantieri: autonomous marine systems and monitoring technologies.
PRIN 2022 / BEASTIE: national research activity on advanced modelling, sensing and experimental validation.
Selected Funded Research Projects
2022–2026: PRIN 2022 / BEASTIE, project ID 2022FZJ7MR, CUP B53D23002630001. Funding organisation: MUR / PNRR. Role: participant / research unit member.
2017–2018: OPTOBRIDGE – FBG-based monitoring of railway/bridge structures. Funding organisation: BASF Chemicals. Role: investigator / scientific contributor.
2014–2015: GLOBESENSE – Algorithms for vehicle black-box data analysis and accident/event detection. Funding organisation: OctoTelematics S.p.A. Role: investigator / scientific contributor.
2016–2018: SECURE PLATFORM – Autonomous marine systems for recovery and rescue at sea. Funding organisation: Fincantieri. Role: investigator / scientific contributor.
2012: FBG vehicle sensing technology for tyre monitoring and structural damage detection. Funding organisation: Sapienza University of Rome. Role: investigator.
2009–2011: SENSIROAD – Sensing systems for road infrastructures and viaduct damage detection. Funding organisation: ANAS. Role: investigator / scientific contributor.
2008–2014: SEALAB – High-speed marine drone prototype and monitoring/control technologies. Funding organisation: EU / Regione Lazio. Role: investigator / scientific contributor.
Prizes, Awards, Patents and Memberships
Most Cited Article recognition by Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing for the paper: N. Roveri, A. Carcaterra, “Damage detection in structures under traveling loads by Hilbert-Huang transform”, Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, Vol. 28, pp. 128–144, 2012.
Patent: “System and Method For Optical Measuring Of Tire Adhesion And Tire Suitable For Such Measurement”. Inventors: A. Carcaterra, M. Platini, N. Roveri. Priority date: 2011-07-27. Patent No.: US 9,370,973 B2, date of patent: June 21, 2016.
Member of the Associazione Italiana di Meccanica Applicata alle Macchine ETS / GMA – Gruppo Italiano di Meccanica Applicata alle Macchine.
Editorial activity: no formal editorial appointments; occasional peer-review activity for international journals and conferences in mechanical vibrations, structural dynamics, signal processing, vehicle dynamics and structural health monitoring.
Selected Publications
1. Roveri, N.; Severa, L.; Milana, S.; Tronci, E.M.; Culla, A.; Betti, R.; Carcaterra, A. ADACTA – Advanced component analysis technique for damage detection. Structural Health Monitoring, 2025.
2. Mesbahi, S.; Roveri, N.; Milana, S.; Culla, A.; Pepe, G.; Carcaterra, A. Meta-frequency modulation in LQR vibration control with chirp excitation. Scientific Reports, 15, 13145, 2025.
3. Stagi, L.; Sclafani, L.; Tronci, E.M.; Betti, R.; Milana, S.; Culla, A.; Roveri, N.; Carcaterra, A. Enhancing the damage detection and classification of unknown classes with a hybrid supervised-unsupervised approach. Infrastructures, 9(3), 40, 2024.
4. Roveri, N.; Milana, S.; Culla, A.; Pepe, G.; Carcaterra, A. xEES – Analytical indicator for assessing liabilities in pileups. Results in Engineering, 18, 101126, 2023.
5. Mesbahi, S.; Milana, S.; Culla, A.; Pepe, G.; Roveri, N.; Carcaterra, A. Damping control of polodes, inertia and natural frequencies: theory and application to automotive suspensions. Applications in Engineering Science, 15, 100143, 2023.
6. Roveri, N.; Carcaterra, A.; Molinari, L.; Pepe, G. Safe and secure control of swarms of vehicles by small-world theory. Energies, 13(5), 1043, 2020.
7. Roveri, N.; Pepe, G.; Mezzani, F.; Carcaterra, A.; Culla, A.; Milana, S. OPTYRE – Real time estimation of rolling resistance for intelligent tyres. Sensors, 19(23), 5119, 2019.
8. Pepe, G.; Roveri, N.; Carcaterra, A. Experimenting sensors network for innovative optimal control of car suspensions. Sensors, 19(14), 3062, 2019.
9. Coppo, F.; Pepe, G.; Roveri, N.; Carcaterra, A. A multisensing setup for the intelligent tire monitoring. Sensors, 17(3), 576, 2017.
10. Roveri, N.; Pepe, G.; Carcaterra, A. OPTYRE – A new technology for tire monitoring: evidence of contact patch phenomena. Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, 66–67, 793–810, 2016.
11. Roveri, N.; Carcaterra, A.; Sestieri, A. Real-time monitoring of railway infrastructures using fibre Bragg grating sensors. Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, 60–61, 14–28, 2015.
12. Carcaterra, A.; Roveri, N. Tire grip identification based on strain information: theory and simulations. Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, 41(1–2), 564–580, 2013.
13. Roveri, N.; Carcaterra, A. Damage detection in structures under traveling loads by Hilbert-Huang transform. Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, 28, 128–144, 2012.
14. Roveri, N.; Carcaterra, A.; Akay, A. Frequency intermittency and energy pumping by linear attachments. Journal of Sound and Vibration, 333(18), 4281–4294, 2014.
15. Roveri, N.; Carcaterra, A.; Akay, A. Energy equipartition and frequency distribution in complex attachments. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 126(1), 122–128, 2009.