Dr Matteo Di Benedetti

BSc, MSc, PhD, PFHEA

Multidisciplinary Engineering Education

Senior University Teacher in Aerospace, Civil and Mechanical Engineering

Co-Director of the Centre for Engineering Education

MEE Ethics Lead

m.dibenedetti@sheffield.ac.uk

The Diamond

Full contact details

Dr Matteo Di Benedetti
Multidisciplinary Engineering Education
The Diamond
32 Leavygreave Road
Sheffield
S3 7RD

Profile

I am a Senior University Teacher and Co-Director of the Centre for Engineering Education at the University of Sheffield. I lead practical teaching in the Structures Laboratory within Multidisciplinary Engineering Education (MEE), delivering hands-on learning to over 2,300 students each year across undergraduate, postgraduate, and foundation programmes. My teaching blends digital innovation with inclusive, discipline-aligned lab experiences.

As a Principal Fellow of Advance HE (PFHEA), my scholarly work focuses on the development of Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs), practical pedagogy, and the use of immersive technologies in engineering education. I led the design of a research-informed GTA development framework that is now embedded in institutional practice and has been adopted by other universities. I have also contributed to the integration of Extended Reality (XR) in engineering labs to enhance engagement and improve delivery.

I play a key leadership role in advancing engineering education. I established the Research and Scholarship Group, which laid the foundation for the Centre for Engineering Education, and I lead international collaborations, including a long-standing exchange with University College Dublin. My contributions were recognised with the University of Sheffield’s 2025 Education Award for Leadership in Education. I also represent the University on national and European committees shaping engineering education strategy and policy.

Qualifications

Professional Achievements:

Sheffield Education Award for Leadership (2025 )
Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA)
Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence 2021 (HEA)

Education:

BSc - Mechanical Engineering - Politecnico di Milano (Italy)
MSc - Mechanical Engineering (major in Robotics and Mechatronic) - Politecnico di Milano (Italy)
PhD - Civil Engineering - University of Miami (USA)
PGCert - Postgraduate Certificate in learning and Teaching - University of Sheffield

Publications

Journal articles

Beck SBM, Lazari P & Di Benedetti M (2025) Lab group size and laboratory duration. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering Education. View this article in WRRO
Beck S, Lazari P & DiBenedetti M (2024) Why do engineering students attend labs?. SEFI Journal of Engineering Education Advancement, 1(1), 26-37. View this article in WRRO
Trochoutsou N, Di Benedetti M, Pilakoutas K & Guadagnini M (2022) In-Plane Cyclic Performance of Masonry Walls Retrofitted with Flax Textile–Reinforced Mortar Overlays. Journal of Composites for Construction, 26(5).
Di Benedetti M, Plumb S & Beck SBM (2022) Effective use of peer teaching and self-reflection for the pedagogical training of graduate teaching assistants in engineering. European Journal of Engineering Education.
Al-musawi H, Huang H, Di Benedetti M, Guadagnini M & Pilakoutas K (2022) Effect of shrinkage on rapid hardening plain and recycled steel fibre concrete overlays. Cement and Concrete Composites, 125, 104246-104246.
Bangert K, Bates J, Beck SBM, Bishop ZK, Di Benedetti M, Fullwood J, Funnell AC, Garrard A, Hayes SA, Howard T , Johnson C et al (2022) Remote practicals in the time of coronavirus, a multidisciplinary approach. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering Education, 50(2), 219-239. View this article in WRRO
Di Benedetti M, Garrard A & Beck SBM (2021) Build it and they will come : maintaining students access to fabrication and testing during a pandemic. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 21(16), 47-50. View this article in WRRO
Solyom S, Di Benedetti M & Balázs GL (2021) Bond of FRP bars in air-entrained concrete : experimental and statistical study. Construction and Building Materials, 300.
Trochoutsou N, Di Benedetti M, Pilakoutas K & Guadagnini M (2021) Bond of Flax Textile-Reinforced Mortars to Masonry. Construction and Building Materials, 284, 122849-122849.
Trochoutsou N, Di Benedetti M, Pilakoutas K & Guadagnini M (2021) Mechanical Characterisation of Flax and Jute Textile-Reinforced Mortars. Construction and Building Materials, 271, 121564-121564.
Cholostiakow S, Di Benedetti M, Pilakoutas K, Zappa E & Guadagnini M (2020) Experimental Analysis of Shear Resisting Mechanisms in FRP RC Beams with Shear Reinforcement. Journal of Composites for Construction, 24(5).
Solyom S, Di Benedetti M, Guadagnini M & Balázs GL (2020) Effect of temperature on the bond behaviour of GFRP bars in concrete. Composites Part B: Engineering, 183. View this article in WRRO
Cholostiakow S, Di Benedetti M, Pilakoutas K & Guadagnini M (2019) Effect of beam depth on shear behavior of FRP RC beams. Journal of Composites for Construction, 23(1). View this article in WRRO
SOLYOM S, DI BENEDETTI M, SZIJÁRTÓ A & L. BALÁZS G (2018) Non-Metallic Reinforcements with Different Moduli of Elasticity and Surfaces for Concrete Structures. Architecture, Civil Engineering, Environment, 11(2), 79-88.
Loreto G, Di Benedetti M, Antonio DL & Antonio N (2018) Assessment of reinforced concrete structures in marine environment: a case study. Corrosion Reviews.
Fergani H, Di Benedetti M, Mias Oller C, Lynsdale C & Guadagnini M (2018) Durability and degradation mechanisms of GFRP reinforcement subjected to severe environments and sustained stress. Construction and Building Materials, 170, 637-648. View this article in WRRO
Fergani H, Di Benedetti M, Oller CM, Lynsdale C & Guadagnini M (2018) Long-term performance of GFRP bars in concrete elements under sustained load and environmental actions. Composite Structures, 190, 20-31. View this article in WRRO
Di Benedetti M, Loreto G, Matta F & Nanni A (2014) Acoustic Emission Historic Index and Frequency Spectrum of Reinforced Concrete under Accelerated Corrosion. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 26(9).
Di Benedetti M & Nanni A (2014) Acoustic Emission Intensity Analysis for In Situ Evaluation of Reinforced Concrete Slabs. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 26(1), 6-13.
Di Benedetti M, Loreto G, Matta F & Nanni A (2013) Acoustic Emission Monitoring of Reinforced Concrete under Accelerated Corrosion. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 25(8), 1022-1029.
Bangert K, Browncross E, Di Benedetti M, Day H & Garrard A () Investigating the comparative effectiveness of XR and digital flipped methodologies. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering Education.

Conference proceedings

Browncross E, Bangert K & Di Benedetti M (2024) Large group AR lab experiment simulation to increase student participation. SEFI 2024 - 52nd Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering, Proceedings: Educating Responsible Engineers (pp 1230-1239). Lausanne, Switzerland, 2 September 2024 - 2 September 2024. View this article in WRRO
Kovacs H, Milosevic T, Griffiths J, Di Benedetti M, Borobio EP, Johannsen T, Wint N & Cooke N (2024) SORTING SKILLS: CURRICULUM PROFILES AND THE FORTHCOMING SEFI HANDBOOK. Sefi 2024 52nd Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Proceedings Educating Responsible Engineers (pp 2597-2604)
Plumb S, Day H & Di Benedetti M (2024) EFFECTIVE DEVELOPMENT AND RECOGNITION OF TEACHING ASSISTANT PRACTICE: AN ALIGNED MODEL. Sefi 2024 52nd Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Proceedings Educating Responsible Engineers (pp 2023-2032)
Bangert K, Browncross E, Di Benedetti M, Day H & Garrard A (2023) Comparing XR and digital flipped methods to meet learning objectives. SEFI 2023 - 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education: Engineering Education for Sustainability, Proceedings (pp 126-136). Dublin, Ireland, 11 September 2023 - 11 September 2023. View this article in WRRO
Plumb S, Bates J, Lazari P & Di Benedetti M (2023) FLASH OBSERVATIONS FOR IMPROVED TEACHING QUALITY AMONG GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANTS IN ENGINEERING. Sefi 2023 51st Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education Engineering Education for Sustainability Proceedings (pp 2728-2736)
Trochoutsou N, Di Benedetti M, Pilakoutas K & Guadagnini M (2022) Bond Between Flax-TRM and Masonry: Effect of Bond Length (pp 1949-1959)
Di Benedetti M, Garrard A & Beck SBM (2021) Build it and they will come : maintaining students access to fabrication and testing during a pandemic. Proceedings - SEFI 49th Annual Conference: Blended Learning in Engineering Education: Challenging, Enlightening - and Lasting? (pp 1382-1386). Virtual conference, 13 September 2021 - 13 September 2021. View this article in WRRO
Di Benedetti M, Garrard A & Beck SBM (2021) BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME: MAINTAINING STUDENTS ACCESS TO FABRICATION AND TESTING DURING A PANDEMIC. Proceedings of the Sefi 49th Annual Conference Blended Learning in Engineering Education Challenging Enlightening and Lasting (pp 1401-1405)
Trochoutsou N, Di Benedetti M, Pilakoutas K & Guadagnini M (2019) Tensile behaviour of natural fibre textile-reinforced mortar. Proceedings of the International Conference on Sustainable Materials Systems and Structures (SMSS2019) Durability, Monitoring and Repair of Structures (pp 111-118)
Trochoutsou N, Di Benedetti M, Pilakoutas K & Guadagnini M (2019) Tensile performance of lime-based natural-fibre composites as strengthening systems for masonry. 3rd International Conference on Bio-Based Building Materials ICBBM 2019 (pp 314-320)
Escolano-Margarit, D, Garcia R, Raffoul, S, Di Benedetti M, Hajirasouliha I, Guadagnini M & Pilakoutas K (2017) Seismic performance evaluation of coupled walls using innovative highly deformable coupling beams. 16WCEE, 9 January 2017 - 13 January 2017.
Sólyom S, Di Benedetti M & Balézs GL (2017) Effect of surface characteristics of FRP bars on bond behavior in concrete. American Concrete Institute ACI Special Publication, Vol. 2017-October(SP 327) (pp 649-668)
Cholostiakow S, Di Benedetti M, Guadagnini M & Zappa E (2017) Size effect in FRP RC beams with and without shear reinforcement. American Concrete Institute ACI Special Publication, Vol. 2017-October(SP 327) (pp 433-451)
Di Benedetti M, Guadagnini M, Gómez J, Barris C & Torres L (2017) Experimental study on the DIC setup for the analysis of FRP RC members. Advanced Composites in Construction Acic 2017 Proceedings of the 8th Biennial Conference on Advanced Composites in Construction (pp 289-295)
Sólyom S, Balázs GL, Di Benedetti M, Guadagnini M & Zappa E (2017) Bond strength of GFRP rebars in concrete at elevated temperature. Advanced Composites in Construction Acic 2017 Proceedings of the 8th Biennial Conference on Advanced Composites in Construction (pp 337-343)
Cholostiakow S, Di Benedetti M, Guadagnini M & Zappa E (2017) Shear behaviour of FRP RC beams: Does size matter?. Advanced Composites in Construction Acic 2017 Proceedings of the 8th Biennial Conference on Advanced Composites in Construction (pp 310-316)
Fergani H, Di Benedetti M, Lynsdale C, Guadagnini M & Mias C (2017) Experimental investigation of tension stiffening in GFRP RC tensile members exposed to severe environments under sustained load. Advanced Composites in Construction Acic 2017 Proceedings of the 8th Biennial Conference on Advanced Composites in Construction (pp 91-96)
Cholostiakow S, Di Benedetti M, Guadagnini M, Gowda C, Barros J & Zappa E (2016) Experimental and numerical study on the shear behaviour of geometrically similar FRP RC beams. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Fibre Reinforced Polymer Frp Composites in Civil Engineering Cice 2016 (pp 575-580)
Fergani H, Benedetti MD, Guadagnini M, Lynsdale C & Mias C (2016) Long term performance of GFRP bars under the combined effects of sustained load and severe environments. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Fibre Reinforced Polymer Frp Composites in Civil Engineering Cice 2016 (pp 828-834)
Cholostiakow S, Di Benedetti M & Guadagnini M (2016) Shear strength and size effect in FRP RC beams. Proceedings of the 11th Fib International Phd Symposium in Civil Engineering Fib 2016 (pp 711-718)
Cholostiakow S, Di Benedetti M & Guadagnini M (2016) Shear strength and size effect in frp rc beams. Fib Symposium (pp 711-718)
Yang F, Guadagnini M & Di Benedetti M (2015) Truss analogy and shear-induced deformation of FRP RC beams. FRPRCS-12/APFIS-2015 - Joint Conference of the 12th International Symposium on Fiber Reinforced Polymers for Reinforced Concrete Structures, FRPRCS 2015 and the 5th Asia-Pacific Conference on Fiber Reinforced Polymers in Structures, APFIS 2015
Di Benedetti M, Cholostiakow S, Fergani H, Zappa E, Cigada A & Guadagnini M (2015) 3D-DIC for strain measurement in small scale GFRP RC specimens. SMAR – Third Conference on smart Monitoring, Assessment and Rehabilitation of Civil structures
Yang F, Guadagnini M & Di Benedetti M (2015) Truss analogy and shear-induced deformation of FRP RC beams. Frprcs 12 Apfis 2015 Joint Conference of the 12th International Symposium on Fiber Reinforced Polymers for Reinforced Concrete Structures Frprcs 2015 and the 5th Asia Pacific Conference on Fiber Reinforced Polymers in Structures Apfis 2015
Mela D, Karim Z, Di Benedetti M & Nanni A (2014) Durability evaluation of shear bond strength of carbon and glass FRP laminates using small plain concrete beams. Camx 2014 Composites and Advanced Materials Expo Combined Strength Unsurpassed Innovation
Di Benedetti M, De Cais E, Karim Z, Loreto G, Presuel F & Nanni A (2012) Acoustic emission characterization of the onset of corrosion in reinforced concrete. SPIE Proceedings, Vol. 8345 (pp 83453Y-83453Y)
Loreto G, Di Benedetti M & Nanni A (2012) Test assessment of RC structures in marine environment: the Geiger Key Bridge. SPIE Proceedings, Vol. 8347 (pp 83472C-83472C)
Loreto G, Di Benedetti M, Iovino R, Nanni A & Gonzalez MA (2011) Evaluation of corrosion effect in reinforced concrete by chloride exposure. SPIE Proceedings
Di Benedetti M, Loreto G, Nanni A, Matta F & Gonzalez-Nunez MA (2011) Continuous acoustic emission monitoring of reinforced concrete under accelerated corrosion. SPIE Proceedings, Vol. 7983 (pp 798303-798303)
Di Benedetti M, Day H & Archibald S () Scaling-up practical teaching: the one-thousand student week. Towards a new future in engineering education, new scenarios that european alliances of tech universities open up (pp 1911-1915)

Reports

Di Benedetti M, Papastergiou P, Garcia, R & Pilakoutas K (2014) Report on FRP rebars and fibre types for the manufacturing of FRP shells

Datasets

Cholostiakow S, Benedetti MD, Guadagnini M, Kaszubska M, Szczech D & Kotynia R Shear database of RC FRP beams without shear reinforcement.
Cholostiakow S, Kaszubska M, Szczech D, Benedetti MD, Guadagnini M & Kotynia R Shear database of FRP RC beams with shear FRP reinforcement.

Preprints

Garrard A, Beck S, Di Benedetti M & Funnell A (2020) Ten Tips for Blended Practicals, MDPI AG.

Engineering at Sheffield