A perspective on Italian Design

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A perspective on Italian Design

• Silvia Mazzoni, PhD
• Ricardo Hernandez, SE
• Holly Razzano, SE
• Andrew Scott, SE
• Chris Poland, SE

May 11, 2009
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Typical Structural Systems
Single-family stone masonry house
Reinforced-Concrete Frames
Single-family historic brick masonry house
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Single-family stone masonry house

• Mainly found in the historic centers of hilltop
  towns in central Italy.
• These structures are less than 200 years old
• Masonry is made up of roughly squared stone
  blocks set in lime mortar. The walls are made of
  two leaves with a rubble core at the base
• At ground level you can find vaulted structures.
• These structures have undergone numerous
  renovations
• Iron ties were introduced in the 18th Century to
  tie together orthogonal walls and floors, to
  ensure better seismic performance

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Single-family historic brick masonry house

• Mainly found in the historic centers of hilltop
  towns in central italy.
• These structures are less than 200 years old
• Typically built on sloped terrain
• All the walls are made of unreinforced brick
  masonry in lime mortar
• Floor structures are vaults at the ground floor
  level and timber floor structures at higher
  levels.
• Good seismic performance is expected due to
  their modest height.
• Problems during seismic events can come from
  adjacent structures.
• Strengthening techniques for these structures are
  well established.

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Reinforced-Concrete Frames

• Reinforced Concrete Frame with Masonry Infill
  Walls
• Multi-family housing in urban areas
• No seismic consideration for projects predating
  the 1980 Irpinia earthquake
• Detailing of transverse reinforcement in the
  columns and beam-column connections is
  questionable in older structures

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Structural Periods in Italy

• Historic Structures
• Single-family Buildings
• Churches
• Public Places
• Turn of the Century
• Higher-Occupancy Urban Residential
• Post-War Structures
• Higher-Occupancy Suburban Residential
• Modern Structures
• Post 1980s
• Contemporary Structures
• High-Rise Residential
• High-Rise Business

Stone Masonry
Brick Masonry
Lightly-Reinforced Concrete
Reinforced Concrete
Reinforced Concrete Structural Steel
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Historic Structures
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Turn-of-the-Century
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Post-War Boom
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Modern Structures
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Contemporary Structures
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Current State-of-the-Practice

• One/Two-story homes without basement are
  typically built in masonry lately reinforced
  masonry.
• Taller structures are reinforced-concrete frames
  with masonry infill walls.
• Structural steel is typically used only in
  external emergency stairs or industrial
  structures
• Mountain homes and covered pools and gymnasiums
  are typically the only structures made of wood.
• Wood Kit Homes are being used as temporary
  shelter as they are deemed safe during
  earthquakes
• There is a revival of canvas
• structures in the Aquilano
• People feel safe there

Irpinia, 1980
6,000Euro 14.2 sq mtrs Safe for sure!
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Panorama of LAquila
Panorama of any city in Italy
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Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Urban Growth
in LAquila
1700
1900
2000
1950
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Italys Earthquake History
1693 Sicily, Southern Italy - M 7.5 Fatalities
60,000 1783 Calabria, Southern Italy -
Fatalities 50,000 1857 Naples, Southern Italy
- M 6.9 Fatalities 11,000 1905 Calabria,
Southern Italy - M 7.9 Fatalities 557 1908
Messina, Southern Itlay - M 7.2 Fatalities
70,000. Triggered a Tsunami wave. Aftershocks
continued into 1912 1915 Avezzano, Central
Italy - M 7.0 Fatalities 32,610 1919 Mugello,
Central Italy - M 6.3 Fatalities 100 1920
Toscana, Central Italy - M 6.4 Fatalities 171
1930 Irpinia, Southern Italy - M 6.5
Fatalities 1,404 1968 Western Sicily, Southern
Italy - M 6.5 Fatalities 231 1976 Friuli,
Northeastern Italy - M 6.5 Fatalities 1,000 1980
Irpinia, Southern Italy - M 6.5 Fatalities
3,000. Sequence of 2 shocks within 2 minutes.
1984 Sulmona, Central Italy. 1997
Umbria/Marche, Central Italy - M 6.4 Fatalities
11. Series of 8 events in 2 months. 2002
Sicily, Southern Italy - M 6.0 Fatalities 2 2002
Molise, Southern Italy - M 5.9 Fatalities 29
(Elementary-School Children). 2 major
events. 2009 LAquila, Central Italy - M 6.3
Fatalities 295. Series of earthquakes, 3 major
events.
Southern Italy
This is a list only of recent Mgt5.9 events
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Italys Faults

• Italy has two major fault lines
• African Plate colliding with Eurasian Plate along
  a line which crosses the Mediterranian near
  southern Italy and Greece
• East-West Extension
• Italy is considered the most seismically-active
  country in Europe.
• An estimated 20 million people live at risk from
  earthquakes. (Italy has a population of 60
  million).
• Italy is also home to some of the 3 most active
  volcanoes in Europe.

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History of Urban Activity accompanied by a
History of Seismic Activity
Strong EQ in Italy Mediterranean Area461BC -
1997
http//storing.ingv.it/cfti4med/lay
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Database of Individual Seismogenic Sources
Alps Northward-moving African plate collides with
the Eurasian plate
Appennines Believed to be an area of subduction
of the African plate under the eastern part of
the Eurasian plate
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Brief History of Seismic-Design Codes

• Until the 1980s there were no law provisions for
  seismic design.
• Only localities hit by historical earthquakes has
  general rules for seismic design (e.g. maximum
  building height, minimum street width).
• The first seismic-design law was passed after the
  Friuli earthquake of 1976, but applied to limited
  areas.
• The Protezione Civile was established after the
  1976 event.
• After the 1980 Irpinia earthquake, Italy was
  divided into four seismic zones.
• Within those zones, additional considerations are
  based on soil conditions.
• The zonation is based on historical data
• Allowable-Stress-Design was prescribed in the
  seismic design criteria.

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Implications of pre-1980s design criteria

• There is an excessive number of buildings built
  of muratura, masonry, often of poor quality, with
  incoherent rock and weak mortar
• The majority of the reinforced concrete
  structures was built during the post-WWII
  economic boom.
• These buildings have no seismic-design
  considerations 20-cm spacing of transverse
  reinforcement, no transverse reinforcement in the
  beam-column connections, undeformed bars (until
  1960), hollow-clay tile infill walls (double wall
  with thermal-insulating barrier for outer walls).
  
• Italians view their buildings as eternal
  (Colosseum), meant to last numerous generations.
  Rarely is one structure torn down to be replaced
  with a safer design.

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The New Normativa Sismica

• The history of the new Seismic Design Criteria
  began in 2003, after the 2002 school collapse.
• The back and forth dynamics of Italian politics
  has delayed the implementation of the new SDC
  until now.
• The new SDC revolutionalizes design in Italy
• New Seismic Zonation ALL of Italy is classified
  as seismic. Italy is divided into four seismic
  zones. Within those zones, additional
  considerations are based on soil conditions.
• Changes in how strength-reduction factors are
  used
• Limit-State Design, with deformation
  considerations. Performance-level criteria for
  ductility, local as well as global ductility
• Silvio Berlusconi has been in and out of power
  over the last many years, as have the seismic
  provisions.
• In 2009 politicians have realized that the law
  instituting the SDC has been postponed for 3 years

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Ministry of Infrastructure
http//www.infrastrutture.gov.it/consuplp/
23
2006 Seismic Hazard Map
Ordinanza PCM 3519 del 28 aprile 2006, All. 1b
LAquila
http//zonesismiche.mi.ingv.it/documenti/mappa_opc
m3519.pdf
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Implications of the post-1980s design criteria

• Currently, it is up to the engineer to select
  which design criteria to implement (pre or post
  2003).
• Most engineers are still using allowable-stress
  design.
• The new SDC are very similar to the Eurocode 8
  and represent significant advances in structural
  design.
• The new SDC do prescribe higher performance
  criteria for critical facilities such as
  hospitals
• Knowing the volatility of the Italian government,
  most engineers are not going to invest their time
  even reading the new code until the law is
  passed.
• The Italian profession is disappointed that these
  laws were not passed in time to avoid the
  LAquila disaster.

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Townships classified as having seismic risk for
the first time in 2003
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INGV declarations for April 6 event

• The Italian equivalent of USGS
• There has been speculation that had LAquila been
  classified as a Zone 1 location, the area would
  not have experienced the amount of damage it
  sustained.
• The Seismic Hazard Maps should always be used as
  an indication of existing hazard.
• The difference in design requirements between
  Zone 1 and Zone2 in the Design Criteria of 2008
  are not large. There is no possibility that these
  differences can be held responsible for the
  collapsed that occurred .
• The Design criteria apply mostly to new
  construction, while the safety deficit lies
  mostly within existing structures, for which ad
  hoc criteria are needed .
• The long delays in implementing design
  recommendations into law only amplify the seismic
  risk .
• A large safety deficit is hidden in the areas
  of low seismic risk because seismic design
  criteria have never been implemented.

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The Genio Civile

• Civil Engineers are the Genius of Italy
• Most of the design innovations are developed at
  the Universities.
• University professors are regarded as the experts
  and authorities, and work directly with the
  government.
• Most of the new breed of prominent professors
  have spent some time in the US and are involved
  in international collaborations with world-wide
  Universities.

Politecnico di Milano
Universita di Pavia The Rose School
Universita di Padova Universita di
Bologna Universita di Firenze Universita di
LAquila Universita di Pescara Universita di
Bari
Universita di Roma (3 Universities)
Universita di Napoli Universita di Salerno
Universita di Palermo
Universita di Catania
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Academics involvement in LAquila Reconnaissance

• After the collapse of the Elementary School in
  Molise, ReLUIS was established, a cooperative
  program between Italian Universities.
• Members of the ReLUIS program coordinated an
  evaluation of ALL school buildings in the
  Aquilano.
• Professors and students worked in teams to
  inspect each individual structure to deem its
  viability
• We met with the following
• Prof. Guido Magenes, University of Pavia, an
  expert in masonry structure. Prof. Magenes had
  been in the area for a number of days and was
  able to give us an update of the situation in the
  area.
• Prof. Tomaso Trombetti, University of Bologna, an
  expert in structural engineering and design. He
  elaborated on the status of the area and answered
  numerous questions the Degenkolb had based on
  what was observed during the first two days.
• Prof. Giorgio Monti, University of Rome, an
  expert in structural engineering and design. He
  accompanied us into the Zona Rossa of LAquila.
  He collaborates with many engineers in the
  profession.
• Professor Spacone, University of Chieti/Pescara,
  an expert in numerical simulation. We met in
  Onna, where he was conducting inspections of
  residential homes in the area. Professor Spacone
  allowed us entry into two such buildings,
  enabling the Degenkolb Engineers a view of the
  perspective of the citizens
• We did not meet with Prof. Gian Michele Calvi,
  Director of the Rose School in Pavia. He is the
  most prominent professor in Italy, very involved
  in the political scene. He contacted the
  officials at the Protezione Civile to enable us
  access into restricted areas.

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Collaboration Opportunities

• Many of the images of LAquila post-eq in 2009
  are the same as those of Friuli in 1976 and
  Irpinia in 1080
• Current SDC are up-to-date and consisted with US
  codes
• Seismic strengthening of existing structures
• Work with academics to perform evaluation of
  existing structures (Masonry, Reinforced
  Concrete)
• Work with academics to perform evaluation of
  strengthening methods
• Work with the profession to develop most
  efficient and effective methods of implementation
• Work with the authorities to implement
  rehabilitation criteria
• Repair of damaged structures
• Work with academics to develop a classification
  method for damage assessment
• Work with the profession to determine the point
  where replacement is recommended
• Work with the authorities to develop repair vs.
  reconstruct criteria
• Reconstruction
• Work with academics to develop new structural
  systems
• Work with academics to develop improvements to
  structural detailings
• Educate the profession about state-of-the
  practice in the US

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Irpinia EQ reconstruction disaster

• The Italian government spent 59 billion lire (60
  million dollars ??) on reconstruction, while
  other nations sent contributions. Germany
  contributed 32 million United States dollars
  (USD) and the United States 70 million USD.3
• However, in the early nineties a major corruption
  scandal emerged of the billions of lire that
  actually disappeared from the earthquake
  reconstruction funds in the 1980s. Of the 40
  billion (or 40 thousand million)nb 1 spent on
  earthquake reconstruction, an estimated 20
  billion (or 20 thousand million)nb 1 went to
  create an entirely new social class of
  millionaires in the region, 6.4 billion (or
  6,400 million)nb 1 went to the Camorra, whereas
  another 4 billion (or 4,000 million)nb 1 went
  to politicians in bribes. Only the remaining 9.6
  billion (or 9,600 million)nb 1, a quarter of
  the total amount, was actually spent on people's
  needs.4

en.wikipedia.org
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Hitting my Home
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History of Seismic Zonation for LAquila

• The City of LAquila was classified as a seismic
  zone after the 1915 Fucino earthquake
• Seismic zones were introduced in 1927
• The area og LAquila was classified as Zone 2.
• 10 townships in the county of LAquila were not
  classified until 1962. Four of these were
  classified following an earthquake in 1958.
• After the Irpinia Earthquake of 1980, in 1984 all
  of Italy was re-classified under uniform
  criteria. LAquila was confirmed as a Zone 2
  area.
• The areas in the region which were affected by
  seismic events in 1915 and 1933 were classified
  as Zone 1.
• Changes were made to the Seismic Zonation
  criteria in 1998 and in 2002 (consistent with
  Eurocode 8). These changes did not affect
  LAquilas classification.
• Six townships (Barete, Cagnano Amiterno,
  Capitignano,
• Montereale, Pizzoli, Tornimparte) were classified
  as Zone 1.
• In 2003 and 2004 changes were made as to the
  level of authority between townships, regions or
  state.
• In 2006 the Seismic Hazard Map MPS04 was defined
  as the official reference.
• According to MPS04, all of the region affected by
  the April 6 earhtquake falls into a zone of High
  Seismic Risk.
• The Seismic Zonation was placed under review in
  2007 as a result of the new Design Code released
  in 2008.
• During this transition period, the designer can
  choose which zonation criteria to use. This
  transition period has been extended to 2010.
• In 2008 the Gazzetta Ufficiale published its
  latest Norme Tecniche per le Costruzioni (Design
  Code), specifying that the Hazard Maps released
  by IGNV be used in design.

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Historical Seismic Zonation
1984
1998
2003
2006 MPS04 - pga with 10 probability of
exceedance in 50 years
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Italy in motion
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LAquila Regional Seismic ActivityDecember 1,
2008 May 2, 2009
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Active Faults in the LAquila Region (AAVV)
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General observations on Structural Design in Italy

• Design provisions for reinforced-concrete
  structures have been around since 1939.
• Design provisions for other types of structures,
  such as masonry, were implemented in 1974.