- Year of nomination: 1978
- Facility: Department of Structural Engineering [facility name no longer in use]
"Professor Pietro Locatelli, a distinguished member of the Faculty, was appointed Temporary Full Professor from 1 December 1943, then Full Professor from 1 December 1946 and finally was untenured on 31 October 1972.
He directed the Institute of Construction Science (later Institute of Construction Science and Technology) from 1 November 1950 to 31 October 1969. As a standing member of the Istituto Lombardo Accademia di Scienze e Lettere, regular Architect of the Patriarchal Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican, Member of the Commission for the Leaning Tower of Pisa and President of the Commission for the statics of the Milan Cathedral, Professor Pietro Locatelli was one of the most emblematic members of the Faculty for decades, contributing to its evolution from the post-war period to today.
His scientific research activity mainly concerned the classical theory of elasticity in the static and dynamic field, the theory of non-perfectly elastic bodies and the behaviour of elastoplastic bodies. Some of his original research has been internationally acclaimed.
He created and for many years led a school whose contribution to Construction Science is documented in hundreds of publications. Many of his students are now tenured professors.
He founded the first large Italian university laboratory for testing models and full-scale structures. He established the International Centre for Earthquake Engineering, in collaboration with ISMES in Bergamo. He promoted the merger of Politecnico’s Institutes of Science and of Construction Technology, thereby already creating a departmental-type structure as long as ten years ago.
He has designed the structures of many important buildings in Italy and abroad."
[extract from the 1978 nomination statement]