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Dr Mirko Francioni

Honorary Lecturer in Mining Engineering

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Research interests:

My research focus is the application of a multidisciplinary approach to the study of natural slopes, open pits, quarries and underground mines. This involves:

  • Integrated use of remote sensing and numerical methods for monitoring and risk assessment of natural and engineered slopes 
  • Integrated use of remote sensing and numerical methods for mine planning of open pits, quarry slopes and underground mines;
  • Investigation of landslide risk to infrastructures using GIS, InSAR, airborne and terrestrial LiDAR, digital photogrammetry and numerical methods;
  • Combined use of different numerical approaches (DEM, FEM, Hybrid and DFN) for analysis of natural and engineered slope and blast damage;
  • Study of the possible applications of new full waveform terrestrial LiDAR technology and thermal photogrammetry for analysis and monitoring of landslide/rockslide processes and mining applications.

I have on going collaborations with researchers in UK and overseas and I am involved in several research projects in UK, Italy, Canada and Ethiopia.

Academic history:

  • 2016 – to date: Lecturer, Camborne School of Mines - University of Exeter.
  • 2014 - 2015. Postdoctoral Fellow, Simon Fraser University (Vancouver, Canada). Integrated use of remote sensing and numerical methods for slope stability analyses and for the monitoring, risk assessment and mine planning of open pits, quarry slopes and underground mines.
  • 2009 –2013. Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering Geology. University of Siena, Italy (in collaboration with Simon Fraser University, Canada). Thesis: Developments in the study of rock slopes: an integrated remote sensing-stability analysis approach. 
  • 2006 –2009. Masters of Science with honour in Engineering Geology. University of Siena, Centre for GeoTechnologies (Italy). Thesis: Stability analysis of “Grotta Delle Felci” cliff (Capri Island, Italy): structural, engineering geological, photogrammetric surveys and laser scanning.
  • 2002 - 2006. Bachelor degree in Geology. University of Camerino, Earth Sciences Department (Italy). Thesis: Geomorphological study of the Fiastra River: reflections about the recent evolution of fluvial environment.