Seismic vulnerability of churches: the effect of context-related characteristics

In Italy, a systematic treatment of the vulnerability of churches and of the classification of their peculiar damage modes has been the object of extended studies. Starting from the definition of macro-elements that are the main components of a church structure, affected by specific and recurrent damage patterns, a series of the most frequent limit mechanisms has been defined and is currently adopted in practice in assessment procedures. This work investigates the possibility to apply these concepts and procedures to other regions with different church typologies and constructional traditions and to identify procedural modifications that may be necessary. The documentation of church damage, occurred in the region of Québec, and the seismic risk of the city of Montreal have motivated to set up a collaborative research program aimed at defining an approach suitable for assessing the vulnerability of historic churches in such territory. From a previously developed inventory, churches have been grouped according to their typology, pointing out the constructional characteristics of each group and the damage patterns that may or may not be applicable from the Italian mechanisms. A first prevision is made of other possible context-related damage modes. Structural analyses to confirm these assumptions are in progress.