Ricerc@Sapienza

The seismic response of older R/C frames can be particularly sensitive to interaction with masonry infills, poor section detailing and smooth reinforcing bars. These aspects are quite often neglected in design and assessment both with linear and nonlinear models due to the modelling complexity and inherent increase in computational effort.

A graphical dynamic model is presented to predict the directional earthquake response of two-ways plan-asymmetric buildings. The theoretical principles inherent to torsional dynamics and vibrations are investigated and the dynamic directional response is rationally explained based on modal rotational kinematics about modal torsional pivots.

A comparative seismic loss analysis is presented for a non-ductile infilled reinforced concrete building evaluating the influence on direct economic losses of different parameters characterizing a building performance model. Propagation of uncertainties to seismic repair cost estimate is investigated in terms of effect of input intensity measures, definition of element fragility and consequence functions specific to non-ductile RC buildings through incremental dynamic analyses and probabilistic performance-based earthquake engineering methodologies.

This paper presents a performance-based earthquake assessment of an industrial structure, aiming at identifying suitable techniques to select and scale natural ground motions for 3D analysis and improve the structural response prediction of complex structures. To this end, an industrial structure characterized by the presence of large masses placed at a significant height and of different horizontal resisting systems, such as moment resisting frames, inverted V bracings and diagonal bracings, is investigated.

This paper illustrates the dynamics of a novel structural configuration represented by a two adjacent single-degree-of-freedom (2-ASDOF) systems coupled by a connection with spring-dashpot-inerter elements arranged in parallel. The connection is conservative if the link is realized only with spring and/or inerter, whereas becomes nonconservative when also the dashpot is added. The first part of the study concerns the system modal analysis: different linking schemes are considered in order to investigate the influence of each connection parameter on the coupled system modal properties.

The paper focuses on the time domain output-only technique called Data-Driven Stochastic Subspace Identification (DD-SSI); in order to identify modal models (frequencies, damping ratios and mode shapes), the role of its user-defined parameters is studied, and rules to determine their minimum values are proposed. Such investigation is carried out using, first, the time histories of structural responses to stationary excitations, with a large number of samples, satisfying the hypothesis on the input imposed by DD-SSI.

Pantographic fabrics are emerging in the literature as promising metamaterials. They are made up of two orthogonal families of fibers connected at their intersection points by pivots. Fibers are supposed to be straight in the reference configuration and to store energy while undergoing extension and bending deformations only. Pivots, which oppose to relative rotations of fibers, are supposed to store energy when undergoing torsion, thus to confer shear stiffness at macro level.

The ongoing energy transition processes need a rapprochement between the places of energy production and consumption with the aim of creating innovative and integrated territorial models. Consequentially, models and strategies for increasing the use of local and renewable energy sources (RES) play a key rule for enhancing energy independence and sustainability of the considered areas. The main objective of this study is to analyse the energy system of the Lazio Region in Italy, comparing electricity consumptions and production from renewable sources at municipality scale.

This paper illustrates a GIS (Geographic Information System) based approach for assessing thermal and electric energy consumptions and usable solar energy potential of residential buildings in order to increase their independence from fossil fuels. After integrating and simplifying previous researches, a methodology for estimating thermal energy needs, both for heating and hot water supply, and electric energy demand for assessing PV and solar thermal productivity is presented.

Conceptual activities on the DEMO fusion power plant design are progressing in Europe under the lead of the EUROfusion Consortium. According to the current EU DEMO plant design, the Primary Heat Transfer System (PHTS) transfers heat from the nuclear heat sources, i.e. breeding blanket, divertor and (optionally) vacuum vessel, to the Power Conversion System (PCS) responsible for generating electric energy. To mitigate issues related to the pulsed DEMO operation, adding the Energy Storage System (ESS) filled with molten salt, between the PHTS and PCS, has been proposed.