Interactions between fluvial processes and vegetation along the natural channel margins have been shown to be fundamental in determining meandering rivers development. By colonizing exposed sediments, riparian trees increase erosion resistance and stabilize fluvial sediment transport through their root systems, while during a flood event the above-ground biomass interacts with the water flow inducing sediment deposition and altering scour patterns. In turn river dynamics and hydrology influence vegetative biomass growth, affecting the spatial distribution of vegetation. These bio-morphological dynamics have been observed to direct control accretion and degradation rates of the meander bend. In particular, vegetation encroachments within the point bar (i.e. colonizing species and strand wood), initiate pioneeristic landforms that, when evolving, determine the lateral shifting of the margin that separates active channel from river floodplain and thus inner bank aggradation (bar push). This diminishes the portion of the morphologically active channel cross-section, influencing the erosion of the cutting bank and promoting channel widen- ing (bank pull ). As a result of the cyclical occurrence of these erosional and depositional processes, meandering rivers floodplain show a typical ridge and swale pattern characterized by the presence of complex morphological structures, namely, benches, scrolls and chutes within the new-created floodplain. Moreover, difference in migration rate between the two banks have been observed to induce local temporal variations in channel width that affect river channel morphodynamics and its overall planform through their influence on the local flow field and channel bed morphology. Despite enormous advances in field and laboratory techniques and modelling development of the last decades, little is known about the relation between floodplain patterns and their controlling bio-morphological interactions that determine the bank accretion process. This knowledge gap has so far limited the development of physically-based models for the evolution of meandering rivers able to describe the lateral migration of banklines separately. Most existing meander migration models are indeed based on the hypothesis of constant channel width. Starting from this knowledge gap, the present doctoral research has aimed to provide more insight in the mutual interactions among flow, sediment transport and riparian vegetation dynamics in advancing banks of meandering rivers. In order to achieve its aims, the research has been designed as an integration of remote sensing and in-situ field observations with a mathematical modelling approach to i) provide a quantitative description of vegetation and floodplain channel topography patterns in advancing meanders bend and to ii) explore the key control factors and their role in generating the observed patterns. The structure of the present PhD work is based on four main elements. First, two types of airborne historical data (air photographs and Lidar survey) have been investigated, in order to quantify the effects of spatial-temporal evolution of vegetation pattern on meander morphology and to provide evidence for the influence of vegetation within the topography of the present floodplain. Such remote sensing analysis has highlighted a strong correspondence between riparian canopy structure and geomorphological patterns within the floodplain area: this has clearly shown the need to interpret the final river morphology as the result of a two-way interaction between riparian vegetation dynamics and river processes. Second, field measurments have been conducted on a dynamic meander bend of the lower reach of the Tagliamento River, Italy, with the initial aim of checking the outcomes of the remote sensing analysis through ground data. The outcomes of the field measurements have further supported the results, providing ground evidence on the relations between vegetation and topographic patterns within the transition zone that is intermediate between the active channel bed and the vegetated portion of the accreting floodplain. The influence of vegetation on inner bank morphology has also been interpreted in the light of the expected time scales of inundation and geomorphic dynamics that characterize the advancing process of the inner bank. The combined analysis of both remotely sensed data and field measurements associated with the historical hydrological dataset have allowed to quantitatively characterize the biophysical characteristics of the buffer zone, close to the river edge, where the accretion processes take place. The third research element has foreseen the development of a biophysically-based, simplified bio-morphodynamic model for the lateral migration of a meander bend that took advantage of the empirical knowledge gained in the analysis of field data. The model links a minimalist approach that includes biophysically-based relationships to describe the interaction between riparian vegetation and river hydromorphodynamic processes, and employs a non linear mathematical model to describe the morphodynamics of meander channel bed. Model application has allowed to reproduce the spatial oscillations of vegetation biomass density and ground morphology observed in the previous analyses. Overall, the model allows to understand the role of the main controlling factors for the ground and vegetation patterns that characterize the advancing river bank and to investigate the temporal dynamics of the morphologically active channel width, providing insights into the bank pull and bar push phenomena. The fourth and concluding element of the present PhD research is a analytical investigation of the fundamental role of unsteadiness on the morphodynamic response of the river channel. Results obtained in the previous elements have clearly showed the tendency of a meander bend to develop temporal oscillations of the active channel width during its evolution, but no predictive analytical tool was previously available to investigate the channel bed response to such non-stationary planform dynamics. A non linear model has therefore been proposed to investigate the effect of active channel width unsteadiness on channel bed morphology. The basic case of free bar instability in a straight channel has been used in this first investigation, which has shown the tendency of channel widening to increase river bed instability compared to the steady case, in qualitative agreement with experimental observations. Overall, the research conducted within the present Doctoral Thesis represents a step forward in understanding the bio-morphodynamics of meandering rivers that can help the development of a complete bio-morphodynamic model for meandering rivers evolution, able to provide support for sustainable river management.

Near-natural river corridors (NNRs) provide crucial habitat for a host of biota and support the survival of people and nature worldwide at multiple spatiotemporal scales. Furthermore, NNRs represent fundamental references for river conservation, management, and restration, offering the opportunity to investigate processes under minimal anthropic disturbances. However, in the Anthropocene large near-natural rivers are rare gems in Europe an worldwide, and knowledge of their dynamics and ecosystem services are often scarcedue to a lack of hydromorphological and ecological data, monitoring, and baseline studies. Despite the scarcity and fragmentation of pertinent studies, many national and international guidelines and directives point to NNRs as reference systems for conservation, management, and restoration targets. In this framework, this Ph.D. thesis investigates the value of NNRs in the Anthropocene with an interdisciplinary approach, bridging fluvial geomorphology and environmental planning disciplines to support freshwater management and conservation in international cooperation for development. The first part of the research activity is rooted in fluvial geomorphology and explores the spatiotemporal trajectories of NNRs adopting several remote sensing products, cloud computing, and geomatic. The recent morphological trajectory of the near-natural Vjosa River (GR/AL) is presented as the response of the river to multidecadal climatic oscillations and more recent localized anthropic pressures, warning about the importance of considering and quantifying the geomorphic sensitivity of river systems in management and conservation. Thus, we focused on framing remote sensing-based procedures for characterizing active river channel spatiotemporal dynamics in the Mediterranean biogeoclimatic region. The second part of the research activity deals with the need to improve riverscape science and landscape management dialogue and the valuation of river ecosystem services. Focusing on inland waters ecosystem services, we integrate a socio-cultural approach with spatial analysis for cultural ecosystem services supply assessment in selected Albanian Protected freshwater ecosystems, outlining the relevant role of ecotones in providing cultural ecosystem services and the multifacet value of such dynamic zones. The third part of the research activity strongly links fluvial geomorphology and environmental management and conservation. It proposes the reconstruction of in-channel vegetation age and related ecosystem services spatiotemporal trajectories in targeted reaches of the Vjosa (GR/AL) and Tagliamento (IT) NNRs, integrating cloud computing, multispectral images, and fieldwork data. Developed baseline knowledge and tools can support the study, management, and conservation of highly dynamic river corridors in Mediterranean temperate climates, and the proposed integrated and multidisciplinary set of approaches is promising to cope with data scarcity that often characterizes the few remaining near-natural rivers in the world.

During the past decades, the systematic investigation of the morphodynamics of meandering rivers mostly involved the theoretical-analytical methodology. The development of analytical models enabled the definition of equilibrium conditions, stability and evolution of river meanders and to investigate the interaction between planform and bedform processes and mechanisms. In recent years the new branch of remote sensing applied to river morphodynamics has been constantly developing simultaneously to the rapid increase of computational and satellite resources. The remote sensing analysis is nowadays employed in a wide range fields in geophysics; for this reason, the past years have seen the prolific development of numerous algorithms for remote sensing analysis. However, remote sensing of meandering river morphodynamics has not been consistently integrated with morphodynamic modelling so far. There is a lack of sophisticated algorithms for the extraction of extensive morphodynamic information from the available remotely sensed data; this gap prevented researchers from seeking systematic validation of analytical models to define their range of applicability, and to exploit their potential for improved insight on observations in real world meandering rivers. The evolutionary dynamics of the channel width, at local and bend scale, as well as the dynamics of bars in meandering rivers represent two major unsettled issues in our present understanding of river meandering dynamics. In this thesis I first provide a systematic methodology for the automated extraction of meandering river morphodynamic information from multitemporal, multispectral remotely sensed data, coded in the PyRIS software. Moreover, I develop an analytical model to investigate the long-term planform evolution of periodic sequences of meander bends incorporating spatio-temporal variations of channel curvature, width and slope. A first model component predicts the temporal evolution of the channel width and slope based on a novel treatment of the sediment continuity at the reach scale. A second model component is a fully analytical, evolutionary model of periodic meanders with spatially and temporally oscillating width accounting for nonlinear feedbacks in flow and sediment transport by means of a two-parameters perturbation approach. Application of the PyRIS software to several long reaches of free-flowing meandering rivers allows me to develop a consistent set of observations on the temporal and spatial evolution of channel width and curvature with unprecedented level of detail. Furthermore, model outcomes indicate that meander-averaged width and slope invariably decrease during meander development, and that the temporal adjustment of the hydraulic geometry is controlled by the ratio between the evolutionary timescales of planform and riverbed, quantified from the analyzed meandering rivers dataset. The nonlinear perturbation model indicates that width and curvature co-evolve according to a hysteretic behavior in time and predicts that the meander belt width dramatically decreases when the meander resonance threshold is crossed. The modelling approach predicts wider-at-bend meanders when the bank pull is dominant with respect to bar push, which in turn promotes meander bends that are wider at inflections. Analytical modeling and remote sensing analysis are mostly integrated through a statistical approach; bend-scale evolutionary analysis of planform descriptors such as channel width, width oscillations and curvature in large pristine meandering rivers exhibit good agreement with the outcomes of the proposed analytical models. Finally, the integration between analytical modeling and remote sensing analysis allows me to identify the key processes controlling the interaction between migrating sediment bars and planform-driven steady point bars. The conditions for the formation of migrating bars in meandering rivers are mostly related to the production of sediment supply by the basin, contrarily to the widespread idea that meandering rivers exhibiting migrating bars typically display lower values of the channel curvature.

The mechanical and structural engineering community are increasingly resorting to the use of periodic metamaterials and metastructures to mitigate high amplitude vibrations; and nonlinearities are also an active area of research because they potentially provide different methods for controlling elastic waves. While the theory of propagation of linear elastic waves seems to be fairly complete and has led to remarkable discoveries in a variety of disciplines, there is still much to investigate about nonlinear waves, both in terms of their dispersion analytical description and their numerical characterization. This thesis mainly relies on the latter aspect and focuses on the analysis of nonlinear metamaterials and metastructures for both the mitigation and control of elastic waves. In particular, the thesis covers four main topics, each associated with a different nonlinearity: i) dispersion curves and mechanical parameters identification of a weakly nonlinear cubic 1D locally resonant metamaterial; ii) manipulation of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) through a postbuckling-based switching mechanism; iii) seismic vibration mitigation of a multiple-degrees-of-freedom (MDoF) system, the so-called metafoundation, by means of hysteretic nonlinear lattices; iv) seismic vibration mitigation of a periodic coupled system pipeline-pipe rack (PPR), by means of a vibro-impact system (VIS). To identify the dispersion curves of a cubic nonlinear 1D locally resonant metamaterial, a simple experimentally-informed reference subsystem (RS) which embodies the unit cell is employed. The system identification relies on the Floquet--Bloch (FB) periodic conditions applied to the RS. Instead, the parametric identification is carried out with a revised application of the subspace identification (SSI) method involving harmonic, non-persistent excitation. It is remarkable that the proposed methodology, despite the linearization caused by the FB boundary conditions, is responsive to the amplitude of the excitation that affects the dispersion curves. The FB theorem, in fact, is often adopted to reduce the computational burden in calculating the dispersion curves of metamaterials. In contrast, the experimental dispersion reconstruction requires multiple velocity measurements by means of laser Doppler vibrometers (LDVs), as for the case of SAWs. To manipulate SAWs, a proof-of-concept experiment was performed for a postbuckling-based mechanical switching mechanism. Precompressed beams are periodically arranged on one face of an elastic plate to manipulate the dispersion of the SAWs propagating as edge waves. By compressing the columns over their Euler critical load, in fact, it is possible to manipulate the surface wave dispersion: the dispersion curve’s dispersive branches, originally caused by the beams in the undeformed configuration, are cleared, and the original path of the group velocity is restored. This concept is introduced analytically and numerically in this thesis, and a novel device is proposed for controlling the SAWs. With regard to the mitigation of seismic waves, this thesis presents the application of two nonlinear dissipative devices to periodic components and structures of industrial facilities. Firstly, a finite locally resonant metafoundation of an MDoF fuel storage tank is equipped with fully nonlinear hysteretic devices to mitigate absolute accelerations and displacements in the low-frequency regime. Secondly, for mitigating the vibrations in PPRs, spatial periodicity and internal damping are combined to obtain an enhancement in the attenuation rate of the system. At the same time, the seismic performance of the PPR is improved by means of an external nonlinear VIS. These investigations show the characterization of the structures’ responses due to the stochastic nature of the input; and for the case of the VIS, a chaotic behavior is sometimes observed and demonstrated. In conclusion, this thesis investigates the nonlinear response of different periodic structures and their potential for wave control and mitigation in various applications. The results of this research contribute to the understanding of the nonlinear behavior of these periodic structures and provide insights into the design, the optimization, and the identification of metamaterials and metastructures performance.

This research tries to fill a gap between two very different scales of enquiry: the local (i.e. hillslope) scale, where detailed investigations are possible but difficult to generalize over large areas, and the landscape (i.e., catchment) scale, where representation of the physics is minimised, the resolution in space and time is maximised, and the focus is upon predicting emergent properties rather than system details. Specifically, this Thesis focused on an aspect of the geosciences that is of critical current concern: the representation of the interface between hydrological response and geomorphic processes, notable mass movements. At present there remains a great difficulty at this interface: detailed geotechnical and hydrological studies of mass movements reveal exceptionally complex interlinkages between water and the surface sediment mass, notably dynamically at the onset and during mass release; but these kinds of studies are only possible with a very detailed description of the three-dimensional structure of the porous media and its hydrological and mechanical response during (and after) rainfall events. Such analyses are feasible but tend to result in analyses that are restricted in terms of geographical generalisation. On the other hand, approaches that apply to larger spatial scales tend to over-simplify the representation of critical failure processes, such as in the assumptions that infinite slope stability analysis can be applied to failures that are finite in their slope length, or that upslope contributing area can always act as a surrogate for the hydrologic response at a point in the watershed. The innovative element in this research lies on the assessment of rainfall-induced shallow landslide occurrence over large spatial scales, whilst accepting that shallow landslides triggering may be influenced by processes that operate over much smaller scales. Specifically, this Thesis focuses upon connection by subsurface flow pathways. New model approaches that incorporate connectivity are required to address the findings of field hydrologists. Thus, this Thesis starts from the understanding of small-scale hydrological processes to develop a large-scale topographic index-based shallow landslide model that includes the concept of subsurface hydrological connectivity. The research aims to provide a tool for more realistic assessments of when shallow landslides may occur and where landsliding may occur at the catchment scale to support decision makers in developing more accurate land-use maps and landslide hazard mitigation plans and procedures.

The current state of energy and climate transition presents several challenges that are currently not optimally addressed by planning and design practices. Indeed, cities play a central role in this transition, as they are within the main causes of climate change as well as extremely vulnerable to its effects, such as extreme events. In this context, the disciplines of urban planning and design are a great resource for promoting mitigation and adaptation strategies. However, there is a gap between scientific research on the issues and the actual implementation of the resources, mainly due to the inability of planning tools to address these needs, the difficulty of transforming the existing built environment and the engagement of citizens in these processes. These issues can be translated into four knowledge gaps that can be addressed by the disciplines of planning and design: lack of explicit considerations of resilient pathways, lack of innovative implementation tools, local resistance towards landscape transformations, silo thinking. The goal of the thesis is to identify, develop and evaluate climate-sensitive planning and design strategies, considering the environmental criteria, the urban areas and the people who live in them. The research is practice-oriented and gives directions on how to apply scientific knowledge through practices for a responsive and landscape-inclusive climate-energy transition. Specifically, it aims to combine several challenges and promote holistic procedures balancing adaptation and mitigation strategies as well as to include the concept of landscape in the transition. The proposed methodologies are evidence-based, performance-based and landscape-inclusive, connecting different scales of intervention, disciplinary tools, and practices of planning and design. In other words, the thesis promotes urban regeneration for climate and energy transition through an integrated approach between landscape, city, and buildings. This integrated approach addresses the following dimensions of urban challenges: social, environmental, economic, and health.

The main argument of the dissertation is structured around the relationship of innovation and modularity with a special focus on innovation openness. This research took a grasp in understanding the context, the classics, story of Italian design, and Made in Italy at the same time exploring design today: based on a field work in Milan, Lombardy. Case study method proved to be as most suitable for answering the explorative nature of this research. The approach was thus relying on secondary data, desk research and observation for understanding the context both from the angle of tradition and current discourse, as for reaching the next level: collecting cases worth to pursue. The cases presented were chosen to elucidate the targeted questions, and to open the path for further research. However, obstacles faced on the field narrowed the cases covered, and the breadth of the investigation of each case study. Limitations in data access did not allow going beyond the story, I had to rely on what was constructed by the company itself. Despite these obstacles the analysis benefited from the perspective of communication and branding: it made possible to investigate a complex innovation effort. This proved to be a valuable insight, since design-driven industries are driven by producing meanings, forming the discourse where communication plays a key role. This work explores what modularity means in production opening up the perspective toward the aesthetic and semantic realm of production of goods. Furthermore in search for the locus of innovation it examines the relationship of modularity, innovation and openness. By exploring architectural innovation [Henderson and Clark 1990] I found that core design concepts that define the direction of technological improvements enter the conceptual frame of innovation: • What was interpreted as ‘values’ by the company defining the design are proven to be core design concepts in the conceptual frame, as they define here a technological and conceptual [stylistic] frame. • Thus, architecture draws here a semantic and aesthetic frame of conveying meanings. [Not just merely defining the technological construction of the artifact described by the interaction of the elements]. • Procedural innovation [coined by me]: the effort that evolves around the main objective to most efficiently elaborate on the core design concepts in technological, and semantic realms. Further findings of the case studies suggest that open methodology of design and innovation is prone to come from third parties to established firms: • open design methodology as a communication strategy that contributes to innovation practices of the company, and not as a conscious strategy coming from the other way round. Here technological and communication tools are intertwined, as they are conveying meanings defined by the core design concepts • Firms in need for raising their capacities and reshaping organizational routines to innovate turn to third parties in the Knowledge-Intensive Business Services • elucidate hybrid forms of innovation Adding to theory The above-mentioned empirical findings were backed by a concise summary on: • open/ user/ collaborative innovation scholarship • links between modularity and innovation • and understanding the relationship of modular design in the history of design and architecture; also elaborating the: • Semantic frame of innovation: where the product is an architecture of meanings • Framework for understanding stylistic realm of conveying meanings and innovation • Linking modular design of products as a conceptual approach [aesthetics] and linking it to production from an evolutionary perspective Adding empirical insights to be considered for • Organizational theory: namely redefining the boundaries of the firm • Innovation openness: based on the locus of innovation • Modularity: apart from focusing on production, organization and that modular construction of goods has also a conceptual meaning (conceptually exploring the relationship of modular design and integrality with examples from architecture and classics of Italian design). Considering goods as an architecture of meanings and firms producing brands rather than goods, it draws on the implications of arrangement of production.

Contemporary debate on the future of urban areas is open and far from finding a convergence point among disciplines. As environmental concerns rise globally and connections between urbanity and ecology are being developed, urban-rural fringes are still an overlooked territory. The thesis proposes a shift in the focus as traditional frameworks have proven to be inadequate to track land-use changes in these hybrid spaces. Starting from selected key concepts, a compelling narrative on hybrid urban-rural fringes is proposed. The thesis benefited from the work done within the Interreg Alpine Space project “Los_Dama!”. This allowed to bridge the gap between research and practice and to directly investigate local planning tools in their adoption process to understand the approach to urban-rural fringes and investigate the role of agriculture. The comparison of the tools and direct fieldwork with local stakeholders supported the understanding of barriers in the implementation of hybrid performative landscapes.

Il presente lavoro di tesi è strutturato in tre sezioni principali. La prima, che comprende i primi due capitoli, riguarda i riferimenti per la conoscenza: al fine di definire il contesto mondiale nel quale si inserisce la tesi, vengono analizzati i dati riguardanti i disastri naturali avvenuti e quelli relativi ai possibili scenari futuri anche in relazione ai cambiamenti climatici. La seconda parte, dedicata ad approfondimenti alle scale europea e italiana, effettua nei capitoli 3-4-5 una sorta di downscaling dei primi due: la medesima struttura di analisi viene riproposta, applicata e approfondita ad una scala spaziale di maggior dettaglio, prima quella europea e successivamente quella nazionale, focalizzando l’attenzione su un particolare tipo di disastro, vale a dire le alluvioni. La terza sezione concretizza il contributo metodologico del lavoro proponendo una nuova metodologia per l’elaborazione dei piani di protezione civile comunali o intercomunali, in particolare in riferimento agli scenari di rischio idraulico, e la sua diffusione con relativa verifica applicativa. / The present study is composed of three main sections. The first, covering the first two chapters, deals with references to knowledge: in order to define the worldwide scenario to which this study is referred, data on really occurred natural disaster and on possible future events are analyzed, considering also the probable influence of the on-going climate changes. The second part, chapters 3-4-5, is a sort of downscaling to the European and Italian territory of the first two chapters’ analysis. The same methodology is detailed and implemented for the analysis of a particular event’s type: flood risk (in Europe and Italy). Third section is about the methodological contribution of the study: a new approach to civil protection planning at local level is suggested, with a particular focus on flood risk scenarios. This new civil protection planning methodology has been applied to a real context and the relative case study is presented.

The thesis deals with systems for measuring the flow of milked milk. At the beginning of the work the history of cattle breeding in the Czech Republic is described as well as the process of milking, the issue and the principles of a flow measurement. The second part deals with certification from the association ICAR and with selected flowmeters, too. The main chapter includes the principles of selected flowmeters´ operation. The selected flowmeters of milked milk, which have been certified by ICAR, are described and compared here.