OVERVIEW

The whole Italian territory is potentially subject to seismic events and the study of the actions and effects of the earthquake is an essential phase of structural design. In this context, the seismic design of the building should be looked at as a necessary step of the architectural and structural design, accounting also of proper structural morphology and regularity

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The module addresses the issues related to the structural design in seismic areas. It discusses the techniques of analysis and design of seismic resistant organisms, by addressing the structural design, modeling of actions, seismic analysis and structural calculation.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aim of the course is to provide students with the essential tools of seismic design. Given the complexity of the phenomenon dealt with, it will supply the elements to evaluate the essential aspects of the analysis, including the choice of the seismic-resistant system, the criteria for modeling the seismic action and the structure, the methodology for calculation and seismic verification. With particular regard to the simplicity and the interpretation of the applied  models, tools will be provided to evaluate the most suitable procedures, critically analyze the results obtained, and identify the most appropriate structural choices.

At the end of the course the students will be able to assess the seismic of the investigated structure, to evaluate the most effective structural solutions, to choose the criteria of seismic analysis, to define representation models of the action and of the structure, to carry out the calculation and seismic verification, to define structural choices.They will be able to address the issue of vulnerability mitigation of existing buildings in order  to reduce the seismic risk within acceptable values.

PREREQUISITES

Structural Engineering and Principles of Dynamics of Structures  

TEACHING METHODS

The course is conducted through lectures given by the teacher. Some numerical exercises may be planned in class under the supervision of the teacher. The teacher also provides in advance the track of the lesson through AulaWeb.

The numerical exercises are optional in the case of 3CFU attributed to the course.

Working students or with DSA certificate or other specific requirements may contact the teacher at the beginning of the course in order to agree on the teaching methods and exam for accounting of specific necessary individual teaching methods.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• Introduction.evidence from the recent Italian earthquakes, evalution of the codes and classification of the seismic hazard in Italy, tools proposed by the Italian Department of Civil Engineering to support mitigation policies
• basic of seismology, origin of earthquakes, measure of the earthquake, seismic risk.
• Performance based approach. Limit states and hazard curve
• Response spectrum in linear and nonlinear field. Brief recall on the elastic response spectrum. Response Spectrum according to Codes for the seismic design. Anelastic response spectrum, behaviour factor. ADRS spectrum.
• Seismic design of structures. Concept of the aseismic design, seismic resistant structure, structural morphology, mass and stiffness center, distribution of the seismic forces on the bracing system, ductility and capacity design, behaviour factor.Principles of regularity and of the capacity design.
• Analysis methods. Linear analyses and non linear analyses, both static and dynamic. Nonlinear static procedure (capacity spectrum method and N2 method)
• Seismic assessment of existing reinforced concrete structures.  Vulnerability factors of buildings designed only for gravity loads. Capacity models for the shear and flexural response. Criteria to evaluate the ultimate chord rotation. Performance M-N domain
• Criteria for the verification of nonstructural components. Floor spectra.

When to the course 3CFU are attributed (curriculum Territorio), the contents of the following sections:  Seismic assessment of existing reinforced concrete structures and  Criteria for the verification of nonstructural components are not mandatory. Moreover simplifications/cut to contents are planned also to the following contents: Performance based approach and Methods of Analyses (i.e. brief notes will be provided to nonlinear methods).

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Iunio Iervolino (2021) Dinamica delle strutture e ingegneria sismica, Hoepli, 2021 

Decreto 17 gennaio 2018 del Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Trasporti, “Norme tecniche per le costruzioni” e relativa Circolare Esplicativa pubblicata nel 2019

Eurocode 8 “Design provisions for earthquake resistance of structures, Part 1: General rules”, ENV 1993-2-1, European Committee for Standardization, 1994;

Faccioli E., Paolucci R., “Elementi di sismologia applicata all’ingegneria”, Pitagora Ed., 2005;

Fajfar, P. (1999), ‘Capacity Spectrum method based on inelastic demand spectra’, earthquake engineering and structural dynamic, 28, 979-993;

Park, T., Priestley M.J.N. “Seismic design of reinforced concrete and masonry buildings”. Wiley, NY, 1992;

Moreover, several journal papers are provided to the students in order to deepen all specific topics discussed in the lessons. These papers are updated every yar on basis of the most advanced updating at scientific level on the seismic engineering. 

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

SERENA CATTARI (President)

STEFANIA DEGLI ABBATI

SERGIO LAGOMARSINO (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

https://corsi.unige.it/10799/p/studenti-orario

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

oral exam.

The oral exam consists of a minimum of three questions on the theoretical contents discussed during the lessons. Moroever, a final question concerns the discussion of a case study proposed by the teacher. In this case, students will be asked to assess to evaluate the most effective structural solutions, discuss and choose the seismic analysis criteria and assess the potential vulnerability factors. 

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral exam will be assessed on basis of the following criteria:

• capacity to critically discuss and illustrate the contents learned during classes
• capacity to express the contents with clarity and precision of terminology
• capacity of recognizing the typical seismic vulnerability factors of configurations proposed during the exam and representative of existing reinforced concrete structures 
• capacity to illustrate the hyphotheses of methods of seismic analysis and critically discuss the differences among possible methods (if static or dynamic, linear or nonlinear) 

The same criteria are applied to students both attending or not attending the classes in person.​

Exam schedule