Seismic Response of Masonry Buildings in Historical Centres Struck by the 2016 Central Italy Earthquake. Impact of Building Features on Damage Evaluation

Masonry buildings in historic centres are prone to seismic damage, due to either construction features or effects of changes over the time. Systematic studies on built heritage need to be updated, aimed at providing large number of data to identify recursive aspects affecting vulnerability and damage. In this study, over 2300 case studies (i.e., structural units/buildings) belonging to 20 villages struck by the 2016 Central Italy earthquake were analysed by a multi-level survey procedure recently upgraded at the University of Padova. The effect of damage was examined with respect to the local macroseismic intensity and computed by comparing the influence of features such as: settlements configuration, buildings aggregation, geometrical and architectural details, horizontal and vertical structural components, and constituent materials. This study lays the groundwork for new approaches to the analysis of construction parameters of existing masonry buildings, in view of their typological categorization and validation on a statistical base.

Automated summary

Historic masonry buildings in city centers are susceptible to seismic damage due to various factors, and systematic studies are essential in identifying factors affecting vulnerability and damage. This study analyzed over 2300 case studies from villages affected by the 2016 Central Italy earthquake, examining the effects of features such as settlements configuration, buildings aggregation, and structural components. The findings lay the groundwork for new approaches in analyzing construction parameters and categorization of existing masonry buildings.