New preventive vision of the seismic risk
Abstract
Over the past 50 years, earthquakes in Italy, particularly the 2012 and 2016-17 events in Northern and Central Italy, have highlighted the serous vulnerability of existing structures. Many historic buildings and town centers experienced partial or total collapse, even after seismic improvement interventions. This reveals two major issues: (i) seismic hazards often exceeded design expectations, and (ii) current Italian building code policies, especially for listed buildings, have proven inadequate. Additionally, Italian earthquakes frequently involve sequences of shocks with similar magnitudes. These repeated shocks caused severe progressive damage to buildings. This poses a considerable risk for operators working in post-earthquake recovery, as aftershocks can lead to further collapse of damaged structures. The extent of damage, particularly in historical buildings, points to the ineffectiveness of the limited seismic retrofitting measures currently allowed for listed buildings. For these reasons, new seismic policies are necessary, especially in areas of moderate to high seismic hazard, to protect lives and preserve cultural heritage. Preventive measures should address damage accumulation in multiple seismic events scenarios to reduce reconstruction costs and mitigate future risks.
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