Giulio Di Toro - Biography#

Giulio Di Toro is an Associate professor in Structural Geology at Padua University (Padua, Italy) and Associate Researcher at the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (Rome). Before studying geology, Giulio was a professional volleyball player (1987-1995) and played for the Italian National Team.
Giulio's reseach is interdisciplinary, spanning in the fields of Structural Geology, Tectonophysics, Rock Deformation and Seismology. He focused on the study of seismic sources by conducting:

(1) field studies of exhumed ancient seismic faults,
(2) microstructural/geochemical investigations of fault products,
(3) experiments that reproduce the extreme deformation conditions along a fault during an earthquake.

He integrated the above data with seismological observations for better understanding earthquake-related physico-chemical processes active during the seismic cycle. Some results of his research have been, following the studies of David Goldsby and Terry Tullis, the identification of silica gel lubrication as a fault weakening mechanism that may operate during earthquakes [Di Toro et al., Nature, 2004], the quantification of frictional melt lubrication effects [Di Toro et al., Science, 2006], and the proposal of a unified view of fault friction during earthquakes [Di Toro et al., Nature, 2011]. Other results of his research are the evidence that earthquake rupture dynamics may be recorded in exhumed fault rocks [Di Toro et al., Nature, 2005]. A second result of his research was the design and the installation in Italy, thanks to an European Research Council Starting Grant project (USEMS: Uncovering the Secrets of an Earthquake: Multidisciplinary Study of Physico-Chemical Processes During the Seismic Cycle, 2008-2013) of SHIVA (Slow to HIgh Velocity Apparatus: http://www.roma1.ingv.it/laboratori/laboratorio-hp-ht/usems-project/the-shiva-apparatus), the most powerful earthquake simulator installed in the world.