Title: Seismic vulnerability assessment of churches at regional scale after the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake

Authors: Gianfranco De Matteis; Giuseppe Brando; Valentina Corlito; Emanuela Criber; Mariateresa Guadagnuolo

Addresses: Department of Architecture and Industrial Design, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Aversa CE, Italy ' Department of Engineering and Geology, University 'G. d'Annunzio' of Chieti-Pescara, Pescara PE, Italy ' Department of Architecture and Industrial Design, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Aversa CE, Italy ' Department of Engineering and Geology, University 'G. d'Annunzio' of Chieti-Pescara, Pescara PE, Italy ' Department of Architecture and Industrial Design, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Aversa CE, Italy

Abstract: The extension of damage on churches observed after strong earthquakes stresses the need to define suitable speedy methods for the assessment of the main sources of structural fragility for these constructions. This paper presents a methodology for seismic vulnerability assessment of churches based on a damage reconnaissance activity carried out after the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake on a population of 64 churches. Firstly, the post-earthquake evaluation of damage is described aiming at identifying recurrent damage mechanisms. It has been observed that the occurred damage scenario, shown through damage probability matrixes, can be represented by a binomial distribution, which depends only on mean damage level. Then, a literature predictive model is applied for outlining fragility curves, which represent a useful tool for prediction of likely damage scenarios. Finally, some ongoing applications of the proposed analysis methodology to churches of different territorial areas are described.

Keywords: seismic vulnerability; cultural heritage; old churches; structural damage; fragility curves.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMRI.2019.096824

International Journal of Masonry Research and Innovation, 2019 Vol.4 No.1/2, pp.174 - 196

Published online: 11 Dec 2018 *