Antonio Signorini

Antonio Signorini ( born April 2, 1888 in Arezzo, † February 23, 1963 in Rome ) was an Italian mathematician and engineer scientist who dealt with continuum mechanics ( elasticity theory).

Signorini studied at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa with the degree in Mathematics 1909. He was from 1916 professor of rational mechanics at the University of Palermo and in 1923 professor of rational mechanics and mathematical physics at the University of Naples and 1938-1958 Professor in Rome.

He dealt with mathematical theory of elasticity and thermoelasticity. His pupil Gaetano Fichera (1963 ) called the Signorini problem for him: you find the elastic equilibrium figure of an inhomogeneous, anisotropic elastic body on a rigid surface (without friction) act on the only gravity forces from the weight. Signorini formulated the problem in 1959 as a problem with ambiguous boundary conditions. Fichera proved existence and uniqueness of the solution and was able to present his results Signorini before his death in 1963.

In 1920 he received the mathematics prize of the Accademia dei XL. He was a member of the Accademia dei Lincei.

Writings

• Opere scelte, Florence: Edizioni Cremonese 1991 ( Introduction and comment Giuseppe Grioli )