Ricerc@Sapienza

The crucial need for simple and cost-effective strengthening or retrofitting solutions for existing buildings, designed according to older seismic code provisions, has been further emphasized in the last decade by the catastrophic effects of earthquake events.
Following decades on investigation on the hazard and the seismic risk (i.e. the problem), the urgency of a national implementation plan for the reduction of seismic risk (i.e. the solution) is thus no longer seen as 'just' an academic or scientific research statement, but is eventually being recognized as a critical socio-political priority at international level.
With no doubt, the assessment of the seismic vulnerability of existing buildings and the development of cost-effective, low-invasive, practical solutions possibly reversible as well as compatible and respectful of the architectural-historical heritage value of the building, hide a significant higher level of complexity when compared to the design of new structures.
And yet, as if the technical complexity was not enough, the inherent restraints of economical resources (budget and people) and the absence of a risk- and consequence-based prioritization plan, are often claimed as the primary obstacles to initiate a large scale, comprehensive and continuous implementation plan at national level.
This project intends to build on the most recent international developments (e.g. New Zealand, US, Japan) in the area of seismic risk assessment and retrofit, merging technical and non-technical (socio-economic) considerations, to develop a 'Risk-based and Performance-Based framework for the Reduction of Seismic Risk at National Level'- with focus on the Italian territory - to support the decision making via a multi-criteria cost-benefit approach.