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  • Simple Considerations of Kinematic and Inertial Effects on Piles During Earthquakes

    This paper summarizes briefly available methods for analyses of soil-pile interaction, contains description of simple considerations of the kinematic and inertial effects on piles during earthquakes and applies these simple considerations to back analyses of eleven case histories of piled foundations under seismic loading in order to assess the accuracy and applicability to everyday routine designs. The simple considerations can be understood and used by practising engineers without need for specialists. Engineering beam theory and basic data are only required. The simple considerations can be used for indication of need of using detail analyses and for rough check of the results of sophisticated analyses.

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  • Earthquake Insurance in Italy: Is It Possible?

    Since a long time, the State, founded on solidarity principles, intervenes and indemnifies the earthquake damage suffered by citizens, assuming the reconstruction cost. In these last years the Parliament tried repeatedly to shift, almost in part, the damage compensation to the insurance system. A lot of draft laws on the theme didn’t have success. The April 6 2009 earthquake in Abruzzo region proposed again the problem concerning the very high cost of reconstruction intervention, emphasized by the very singular Government’s choice, condensed into the slogan “from the tents to the houses”. In this article are analysed same fundamental aspects concerning damage compensation, pointing to the needs to establish a close connection among the prevention action, still very small in the country, and the possibility that the insurance system could play a relevant role in the reconstruction phase.

    For this paper is available an extended abstract after the text in Italian

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  • A Strategy for a Large-Scale Seismic Risk Mitigation of Infrastructures: the Case of the Campania Region

    A multi-level approach to “catalogue” existing bridges in the meaning of seismic risk mitigation policies is herein presented and discussed. In particular, the proposed methodology lead to a list of priorities for existing bridges by considering the relevance of the road which they belong, the seismic and structural vulnerability and seismic hazard sites. Based on such information it is possible to proceed to verify the structural and seismic safety and/or repair bridges by considering the economic available resources. The methodology can be considered as reference and decision support tool in earthquake risk mitigation policies for the management and maintenance, vulnerability assessment and retrofit design of existing bridges in order to preserve the safety.

    For this paper is available an extended abstract after the text in Italian

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  • The Mapping of Post-Earthquake Damage Scenarios in Support of Municipal Emergency Plans

    Nel presente lavoro viene proposta una metodologia, chiamata SCE-PEC, per la rappresentazione di scenari di danno post-sisma /1/, finalizzati agli obiettivi della pianificazione comunale dell’emergenza sismica /2,3/. Uno scenario di danno post-sisma contiene informazioni essenziali per la pianificazione delle attività delle Funzioni di Supporto /4,5/. Detta metodologia utilizza vari tipi di mappe con differenti livelli di elaborazione e sintesi: mappe di base, mappe di danno, mappe di sintesi e mappe per funzioni di supporto. La metodologia SCE-PEC è di tipo modulare e pertanto è possible applicarla parzialmente o integrarla con infor- mazioni aggiuntive.

    For this paper is available an extended abstract after the text in Italian

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  • “Dolcè Viaduct”: Pier Seismic Analysis with the Italian Code and Euro-Codes

    Damages due to seismic action on bridges are a direct consequence of the elastic approach of their design. The introduction of the new seismic norm in Italy and in the world have prescribed a ductile behavior for the piers subjected to action of earthquake. The bridge design based on a ductile behaviour of piers uses the for- mation of plastic hinges to reduce seismic action by dissipation of energy. The design of the “Dolcè” Viaduct, an important bridge of next realization in Verona area. This viaduct has me- dium span and composite structure steel-concrete, for it is evaluated the different security level and ductility of the seismic response depending on the configurations of the piers. The study takes into account the Euro-codes and the Italian norm.

    For this paper is available an extended abstract after the text in Italian