Laura Calzolari

PostDoc : MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship

Project : DAPHNE - Deciphering the formation of AmorP Hous binders in ancient RomaN mortars for modErn applications”

Membre de l’équipe : Geochimie

My research focuses on the archaeometric characterization of ancient Roman mortars.
Cultural heritage materials can be the starting point for the experimentation of binding materials to be used in the field of constructions.

My project, DAPHNE (funded by the European Union, call : HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01, type of action : HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF, grant number : 101209231) focuses on the characterization of hydraulic mortars from the inner duct of ancient Roman aqueducts to deepen our knowledge about the formation of amorphous/nanocrystalline phases in the binder.
The first step is the characterization of historic mortars through synchrotron-based techniques (such as microXRD, microXRF and Pair Distribution Function analysis) to understand the composition and atomic arrangements of hydraulic binder phases.
The second step focuses on laboratory experiments aiming at reproducing the amorphous/nanocrystalline binder : different set-ups, protocols and conditions will be taken into account, to study the behavior of the same raw materials used in the historic mortars during setting and hardening.
The third and final step consist in characterizing the experimental mortars with the same techniques used for the characterization of historic ones, to compare them and asses the effective reproducibility of amorphous/nanocrystalline phases.

* The influence of cementation on fault stability
Volpe, G ; Affinito, R ; Calzolari, L ; Pozzi, G ; Marone, C ; Collettini, C ; 2025, Earth and Planetary Science Letters 671, 119674.

* Provenance of lead ores used for water pipes production in the ancient Roman Gaul (Vienne, France)
Heredia, Carlos ; Guédron, Stéphane ; Gourlan, AT ; Helly, Bruno ; Delile, Hugo ; Calzolari, Laura ; Campillo, Sylvain ; Santenac, S ; Audin, Laurence ; Télouk, Philippe ; 2025, Quaternary Science Reviews 353, 109227.

* Unlocking the secrets of hydraulic Roman mortars for new applications
Calzolari, Laura ; 2024 - PhD thesis.

* How the materials knowledge of Roman mortars could be helpful for the production of future materials : The case of the Aqua Traiana aqueduct (Rome, Italy)
Medeghini, Laura ; Calzolari, Laura ; Capriotti, Sara ; Bernabale, Martina ; De Vito, Caterina ; Giustini, Mauro ; Pettiti, Ida ; Dell’Agli, Gianfranco ; Spiridigliozzi, Luca ; Antonacci, Amina ; 2024, Cement and Concrete Research 179, 107478.

* The secret of ancient Roman hydraulic mortar : the lesson learnt from the past for future cements
Medeghini, Laura ; Calzolari, Laura ; Botticelli, Michela ; Di Fazio, Melania ; De Vito, Caterina ; Pettiti, Ida ; Bardelli, Fabrizio ; Mignardi, Silvano ; 2024, Cement and Concrete Composites 148, 105484.

* Aqua Alexandrina and Fragole cistern : characterization of mortars from Roman constructions, Rome (Italy)
Calzolari, Laura ; Medeghini, Laura ; Baiocchi, Ilaria ; Zanzi, Gian Luca ; Mignardi, Silvano ; 2023, Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences 15 (12), 183.

* Lithic materials from the 109 AD Roman aqueduct Aqua Traiana,(Sette Botti caput aquae, Rome)
Calzolari, Laura ; Rea, Carla ; De Vito, Caterina ; Mignardi, Silvano ; Medeghini, Laura ; 2023, Periodico di Mineralogia 92 (2), 131-142.

* Insights on the Mortars of Ancient Roman Aqueducts : Aqua Virgo and Aqueduct Y, Rome (Italy)
Calzolari, Laura ; Amadasi, Maria Elisa ; Medeghini, Laura ; Mignardi, Silvano ; 2023, Buildings
14 (1), 69.

* Aqua Traiana, a Roman Infrastructure Embedded in the Present : The Mineralogical Perspective
Botticelli, Michela ; Calzolari, Laura ; De Vito, Caterina ; Mignardi, Silvano ; Medeghini, Laura ; 2021,
Minerals 11 (7), 703.

* Metallurgical and statistical approaches to the study of cast iron street furniture
Soffritti, Chiara ; Calzolari, Laura ; Pepi, Salvatore ; Fortini, Annalisa ; Merlin, Mattia ; Garagnani, Gian Luca ; 2021,
Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A 52 (3), 1127-1141.

* Caratterizzazione preliminare dei materiali costruttivi dell’acquedotto Traiano
Laura Calzolari, Michela Botticelli, Laura Medeghini ; 2021, in Aqua Traiana. Le indagini fra Vicarello e Trevignano Romano. Nuove acquisizioni e prospettive di studio sull’acquedotto Traiano-Paolo, pp 181-187, Gangemi Editore.

* Cast iron street furniture : A historical review
Soffritti, Chiara ; Calzolari, Laura ; Chicca, M. ; Bassi Neri, R. ; Neri, A. ; Bazzocchi, L. ; Garagnagni, GL ; 2020,
Endeavour 44 (3), 100721.

* Conservation state of cast iron metalworks in European street furniture
Chiara Soffritti, Laura Calzolari, Andrea Balbo, Federica Zanotto, Cecilia Monticelli, Francesca Ospitali, Annalisa Fortini, Gian Luca Garagnani ; 2019, The European Physical Journal Plus 134 (9), 424.

* Cast Iron Metalworks in European Urban Furniture Dating Back to the 19th and the Early 20th Centuries
Alba Clara de Ruggiero, Laura Calzolari, Chiara Soffritti, Alessandra Varone, Gian Luca Garagnani ; 2019, Materials Science Forum 941, 663-667.

* Study of the conservation state of the European street furniture in painted cast irons
C Soffritti, L Calzolari, A Balbo, F Zanotto, C Monticelli, A Fortini, GL Garagnani ; 2018, La Metallurgia Italiana 2018 (4), 5-16.