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The use of exoskeletons, intended as additive structures applied in a widespread way externally to the building to be protected, constitutes a valid alternative to common intervention techniques for the seismic retrofit of existing buildings. Among many typological solutions present in the literature, in the present work, the orthogonal 2D steel exoskeletons (called EXO 2D_λ) have been analysed in detail. These systems, made as truss shear walls placed orthogonally to the facade of the building, can be effectively used for the strengthening of low-mid-rise buildings. In the present work, after a thorough state-of-the-art and a critical analysis of recent realizations, a kit-constructive system, suitable for prefabrication, was conceived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-structural systems represent the majority of the loss exposure of buildings to earthquakes. Moreover, with respect to the strategic building a critical issue, related to the failure of these systems, is the loss of the operability of the buildings. Within this framework, the evaluation of the seismic performance of light-weight suspended ceiling is the object of this work. Due to the lack of numerical simulation tools, the suspended ceiling's seismic behaviour can not be properly analysed and predicted. For this reason, an experimental characterization of the system is required. A review of the tests performed in previous research projects was presented. Finally, an innovative experimental characterization, performed by using a universal testing machine, to evaluate the capacity of a bracing system for ceilings under two different directions of the horizontal seismic action is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]