SEISMIC PROTECTION OF EXISTING BUILDINGS IN THE ITALIAN EXPERIENCE

The current Italian code for structural design treats extensively the issue of seismic protection of existing buildings. With an approach that may be considered innovative for a building code, the building must be first examined in its different characteristics, including the need for an accurate reconstruction of its history, in order to reach the best possible knowledge of its structural behaviour. In coordination with the code, guidelines specifically devoted to the case of heritage buildings have also been developed. These documents have their roots in older regulations issued at different times during the course of the national history. The development of seismic codes is strictly intertwined with the sequence of significant earthquakes that hit the Country, as new codes were often issued as a consequence of a major seismic event, and with the advancement of earthquake engineering as a discipline. This research follows the path of the main Italian seismic regulations developed from the Country foundation to the present, starting with the Casamicciola earthquake of 1883. The focus is on indications for strengthening the existing building stock and for preserving the cultural heritage that may be found along the entire period considered.