Effectiveness of traditional strengthening measures on historic masonry buildings: the seismic performance of Palazzo Comunale in Camerino after 2016-2017 seismic sequence

Abstract

The implementation of seismic strengthening measures on monumental buildings requires a balance between the need to preserve its original configuration and the need to guarantee adequate safety levels. The paper presents the analysis of the performance of a heritage building in Camerino, a small town in central Italy, after the 2016-2017 seismic sequence.The building is called Palazzo Comunale, a medieval building, used as town hall. Due to the previous earthquake occurred in 1997, the Palazzo Comunale suffered extensive damage; repairs and strengthening measures were designed and realized starting from 1999. In particular, traditional strengthening techniques were adopted: the mechanical characteristics of the walls were improved by means of grout injections, the original wooden floors were either replaced or stiffened, and several steel tie rods were introduced.In situ surveys allowed to detect the damage caused by the 2016 seismic sequence and to evaluate the effectiveness of the strengthening measures in improving the seismic behavior of the Palazzo Comunale. Furthermore, the seismic vulnerabilities of the buildings are herein discussed through global non-linear static analyses and local kinematic analyses.