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In this framework, the current research work aims to analyse a sub-urban sector of the historic centre of Sant'Antimo, located in the province of Naples (Italy), in order to assess the seismic vulnerability of old masonry buildings in this sector and the expected damage scenarios resulting from seismic events with different characteristics. Moreover, in order to mitigate the identified risk, a set of retrofitting techniques are considered and analysed taking into account their contribution for the reduction of the seismic vulnerability of buildings. The vulnerability analysis is performed through the application of an index-based seismic vulnerability assessment approach integrated into a GIS tool in order to identify the structural units (S.U.) most susceptible at damage. Subsequently, typological vulnerability curves, according to the EMS-98 scale, are obtained for the building stock analysed. Finally, a parametric analysis, varying magnitude and seismogenic site-source distance, is performed to obtain and discuss urban damage and loss estimation scenarios in terms of number of collapsed and unusable buildings, as well as number of human casualties, severe injuries and homelessness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the seismic investigation of two masonry churches, namely Visitazione and San Giuliano, which are located in Poggio Picenze, a small town about 10 km far from L'Aquila. The seismic response assessment of the churches, which were damaged by the severe seismic event occurred in Italy on 2009 April 6th, has been performed by means of experimental dynamic tests and numerical analyses. Firstly, an experimental campaign based on Ambient Vibration Tests (AVTs), which are non-destructive tests especially applied to historical and monumental buildings for evaluating their modal response, has been carried out on the selected constructions in the framework of a cooperation activity between the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje and the University of Naples "Federico II". Such an experimental activity has allowed to obtain the dynamic properties of the examined structures, namely natural frequencies, vibration mode shapes and damping coefficients. The experimental results have been subsequently used to implement a numerical FEM model of the churches in the ABAQUS non-linear analysis software environment. Dynamic linear FEM analyses have been conducted in order to calibrate the experimental results in order to simulate as well as possible the real structural behaviour of inspected churches. Finally, the performed analyses have been of a fundamental importance for both detecting damages into the constructions and programming effective retrofitting interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Seismic performance of an ancient Neapolitan Masseria has been evaluated. • Three analysis types based on the three evaluation levels foreseen by the Italian Guidelines on Cultural Heritage have been applied to the case study building. • The analysis results, compared to each other, have shown the problems and the high vulnerability degree of the building. • The simplest evaluation level (EL1), compared to the most detailed one (EL3), has provided unconservative results in predicting the building seismic vulnerability. • Consolidation interventions have been designed and applied to the structural parts of the Masseria to improve its seismic behaviour. In this paper, the seismic vulnerability appraisement, together with repairing and consolidation operations, of a masonry building with cultural and artistic value located in a small city near Naples are reported and discussed. After a brief digression about the condition of historical and cultural Italian heritage damaged by seismic events and usually in poor condition due to a lack of maintenance, the case study is presented and described, providing not only historical news but also information about as-built status, spaces, functions and structural issues. Once the principal failure modes affecting the building are identified, the estimation of seismic vulnerability is performed through three different evaluation levels given by the Italian Guidelines on Cultural Heritage. The analysis results, compared to each other, have shown the problems and the high vulnerability degree of the building. Finally, according to the Italian Guidelines, the consolidation and upgrading interventions are proposed and described to ensure a safety use of the Masseria under seismic actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Experimental tests have been performed on 57 extruded aluminium bars. • One and two stages Ramberg-Osgood models have been provided for each tested aluminium alloy. • The low cycle fatigue curves have been obtained for 6060, 6082 and 7075 alloys. • Ductility and dissipation have been evaluated in the cyclic tests. • The skeleton curves are derived for each aluminium alloys by means of the incremental cyclic tests. In the present paper an extensive experimental campaign is carried out on 5000, 6000 and 7000 aluminium series through monotonic and cyclic tests. The research is part of a collaboration between the Universities of Salerno and Naples "Federico II" involved for several decades in the development of the Eurocode recommendation regarding the aluminium alloys for structural purposes. The experimental program is composed of 3 monotonic experiments for each aluminium alloy, 29 low-cycle fatigue tests for 6060, 6082 and 7075 alloys and 10 incremental cyclic tests under different loading cycles for all tested alloys. The main purpose of this campaign is the characterization of such alloys not only in terms of the well-known stress–strain curve while in terms of low cycle fatigue, cyclic hardening, dissipated energy and plastic fracture, to achieve more information about the non linear behaviour which can be exhibited, as an example, under seismic loading. In fact, since now, the largest part of the research has been mainly focused on the behaviour of such materials under a large number of cycles in elastic range thus neglecting the potential benefits in exploiting the large dissipative capacity of such alloys. Moreover, the collected information could be of fundamental importance in the framework of the revision of the new Eurocode 8 which presents, for the first time, a section devoted to the seismic design of structures made of aluminium alloys. The accurate knowledge of the random material variability and cyclic hardening could be helpful for the setting up of the coefficients to be used for the application of the hierarchy criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]