National Projects

Financially supported by the Croatian Science Foundation under the programme Installation Research Projects UIP 2025-02.

Physically-based modelling approaches for rainfall-induced landslides typically rely on laboratory-based characterization of soils. However, the laboratory conditions under which measurements are performed often fail to accurately replicate in-situ environments, resulting in discrepancies between predicted and actual hydro-mechanical responses of slopes in the field. This research project aims to improve modelling capabilities of rainfall-induced landslides through a field-based hydraulic characterization. The approach will integrate high-quality field data with finite-element transient seepage modelling to analyse the hydro-mechanical response of the unsaturated zone within fine-grained slopes, driven by the soil-vegetation-atmosphere interaction. An advanced field monitoring system will be established to provide data on geotechnical, hydraulic, and meteorological variables impacting the hydromechanical response and stability condition of slopes. Implementing some of the cutting-edge technological advancements in the field, the research will address some critical scientific questions in landslide science and field hydromechanical response of slopes in general. The outcomes of the research will extend beyond the generation of globally relevant new knowledge in the field, culminating in at least five original research papers published in top-tier international scientific journals and presented at leading international conferences. The project will have a significant local socio-economic impact for the study area, where enhanced understanding of landslide processes can improve risk management practices. A key outcome will be the establishment of a new research group that will aspire to become an internationally recognized centre, which will focus on some of the most actual and emerging challenges in soil-vegetation-atmosphere interaction and landslide research area—topics expected to grow in importance as the global climate crisis intensifies.

Principal Investigator: Josip Peranić

Project Collaborators: Martina Vivoda Prodan, Davor Marušić

Project Code: UIP-2025-02-6458

Project Duration: 2/2026 – 2/2031

Project Budget: 223.438,10 EUR

Website:

Financially supported by the Croatian Science Foundation under the programme Installation Research Projects UIP 2025-02.

Masonry structures, widely used in civil engineering, remain highly vulnerable to seismic forces due to the brittle nature of traditional cement-sand mortar. The 2020 earthquakes in Croatia highlighted the urgent need for more resilient bonding solutions to enhance ductility, energy dissipation, and structural integrity of masonry. This project advances polyurethane adhesive foams as alternative binders, leveraging their high ductility and adhesion properties through an innovative modeling and experimental validation approach across scales.A key challenge in applying polyurethane foams in masonry is the lack of validated numerical models capturing their rate-dependent behavior, adhesion properties, and seismic response. This project develops a comprehensive numerical-experimental framework integrating material-scale analysis via rate-dependent and viscoelastic characterization at the University of Rijeka and Oxford, contact-scale modeling with an advanced cohesive zone model incorporating perforation effects, and assembly-scale validation through full-scale seismic tests at L.E.D.A. Laboratory in Enna.The project will establish a new research group at the University of Rijeka, fostering early-career researcher development with two postdoctoral researchers and a PhD student. Collaboration with Oxford in high-strain testing and Wienerberger for industry application ensures interdisciplinary and intersectoral impact.By combining numerical modeling and experimental validation, this research will define key mechanical parameters, validate advanced contact models, and assess the seismic performance of bonded masonry structures. The findings will support structural engineers, material manufacturers, and policymakers, contributing to seismic resilience, sustainable construction, and the future standardization of ductile bonded masonry technologies.

Principal Investigator: Nina Čeh

Project Collaborators: Marina Bagarić, Katarina Tutić, Emina Hadžalić

Project Code: UIP-2025-02-2749

Project Duration: 2/2026 – 2/2031

Project Budget: 296.088,35 EUR

Website: https://tehmeh-gradri.uniri.hr/projects/resibond/

Financially supported by the Croatian Science Foundation under the programme Research Projects IP 2024-05.

Cosserats’ continuum theory is a generalisation of classical Cauchy’s theory, in which couple stresses exist at the particle level. It can describe certain experimentally observed phenomena, which the classical theory cannot and is particularly applicable to natural and man-made materials with internal structure. Within the project, we aim to provide the answers to the foloowing questions: (i) Can an ‘inverse’ size effect, whereby smaller specimens tend to be softer (and not stiffer) than the larger ones, still be explained by Cosserat’s continuum theory? (ii) Can additional analytical solutions for benchmark problems in linear elasticity be derived and made use of for identification of Cosserats’ material parameters? (iii) Can analytical solutions for large-curvature plain-strain pure bending be extended to a wider class of hyperelastic materials (both classical and Cosserats’) than currently known and can they be used to characterise such materials?

Principal Investigator: Gordan Jelenić
Project Collaborators: Edita Papa Dukić, Sara Grbčić Erdelj, Laura Grbac, Dragan Ribarić

Project Duration: 12/2024 – 12/2027

Project Budget: €199.931,25

Website: https://anemic.uniri.hr/

FFinancially supported by the Croatian Science Foundation under the programme Research Projects IP 2022-10.

This project will bring together scientists from different institutions in Croatia and abroad with specific skillset to quantify present and future compound flooding potential along the Croatian coast, map compound flooding hazards at selected (most vulnerable) pilot areas in Croatia and increase the overall knowledge of the compound flooding mechanisms.

The immediate outcome of this project includes:

• Compound flood potential maps for the Croatian coast
• Hazard maps for three pilot areas
• An innovative methodological framework

The long-term impact on society and the economy will be raising awareness, reducing economic and human losses, and strengthening the resilience of coastal communities to compound flooding.

Project Team

Project Leader: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nino Krvavica
Collaborators:

• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Igor Ružić (Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Rijeka)
• Marta Marija Gržić (Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Rijeka)
• Ivona Petković (Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Rijeka)
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suzana Ilić (Lancaster University)
• Prof. Dr. Goran Lončar (Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb)
• Assist. Prof. Dr. Damjan Bujak (Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb)
• Dr. Josip Rubinić (Geo-5 Ltd.)
• Prof. Dr. Ante Šiljeg (University of Zadar)
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Silvija Šiljeg (University of Zadar)

Project Duration: 12/2023 – 12/2027
Budget: €166,932.50
Website: https://4seaflood.uniri.hr/

Principal investigator: Leo Škec

Environmental and social code of practice (ESCOP)

Summary Report on the Public Consultation for the ESCOP document

Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM)

If you have a complaint, comment, or suggestion regarding the activities of the Subproject Mechanical Performance Evaluation and Design Optimisation of a Novel Composite Support Structure for Large-Capacity Offshore Wind Turbines, which is being implemented as part of the DIGIT Project, you may contact us via email at owt-eno-grm@gradri.uniri.hr. All personal data and information you provide will be handled with appropriate care to ensure their protection. You will be duly and promptly informed of any measures taken and the next steps in the process.

The KLIM-PRI Project is focused on strengthening the resilience of Croatian urban and coastal areas to climate change, with particular emphasis on the tourism, health, and water resources sectors. Through interdisciplinary applied research conducted in the cities of Rijeka and Pula, the project will analyse the vulnerability of key infrastructure to heatwaves, sea-level rise, and extreme weather events. In cooperation with project partners—the City of Rijeka, the City of Pula, and the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Rijeka—the project will develop methodologies for climate risk assessment, prepare proposals for concrete adaptation measures, and design a standardized protocol for the systematic monitoring of climate change impacts on urban areas.

Lead Institution: Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management

Project Partners: Faculty of Civil Engineering Rijeka, City of Rijeka, City of Pula

Institutional Project Leader: Marijana Cuculić

Project Team Members: Ivana Ban, Sanja Dugonjić Jovančević, Bojana Horvat, Nino Krvavica, Silvija Mrakovčić, Neira Torić Malić

Programme: Competitiveness and Cohesion 2021–2027

Project Code: PK.3.4.17.0011

Project Implementation Period: January 2026 – July 2028

Total Budget: EUR 587,997.70

Website: under development

The PRIMIS Project – Applied Methodology for Integrated Multi-Hazard Assessment for Climate Change Adaptation is focused on the development and application of a comprehensive methodology for the systematic assessment and management of multiple natural hazards in the context of climate change. The project includes the enhancement and integration of existing databases, the development of systems for monitoring and assessing the impacts of climate change on multiple hazard types, and the definition of effective adaptation and risk-reduction measures. Project activities are carried out in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and the Istria County.

Lead Institution: Faculty of Civil Engineering Rijeka

Project Partners: Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering, Primorsko-goranska County, Istarska County

Project Leader: Igor Ružić

Work Package Leaders: Petra Jagodnik, Nino Krvavica

Project Team Members: Sanja Dugonjić Jovančević, Marta Marija Gržić, Vedran Jagodnik, Ivona Petković, Martina Vivoda Prodan

Programme: Competitiveness and Cohesion 2021–2027

Project Code: PK.3.4.17.0018

Project Implementation Period: April 2026 – April 2029

Total Budget: EUR 588,207.17

Website: under development

The DATACROSS project of the Scientific Center of Excellence for Data Science and Cooperative Systems explores advanced methods and technologies in data science and cooperative systems within the horizontal theme ICT of the Croatian S3 in order to support the development of innovation and competitiveness of the Croatian economy in all five thematic priority areas of the S3. By employing more than 40 new research projects, it will enable the implementation of globally relevant scientific research and the transfer of knowledge and technologies with a long-term contribution to the Croatian research sector, the economy and society as a whole.

Lead Institution: Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing

Programme: Competitiveness and Cohesion 2021–2027

Institutional Project Leader: Boris Podobnik

Project Code: PK.1.1.10.0007

Project Implementation Period: January 2024 – December 2026

Total Budget: 1,499,999.98

Website: https://www.fer.unizg.hr/zci