Multilevel Approach to the Vulnerability Analysis of Historic Buildings in Seismic Areas Part 1: Detection of Parameters for Vulnerability Analysis through on Site and laboratory Investigation

A methodology of investigation and diagnosis of the built heritage of historic centres in seismic areas of Italy is proposed. The aim is to collect an extensive knowledge on the structural typologies and behaviour of historic masonry buildings for the prevention and/or repair of damages caused by earthquakes. Small historic centres or residential buildings in larger centres have been for long time considered as “minor architecture”, but they are meaningful testimonies of the Italian cultural heritage. The results of the investigation also allowed a critical review of the reliability of the analytical models and of the effectiveness of the repair techniques applied in the past decades. The guidelines emerging from the results of an extensive research are presented in this paper (Part 1 of the study). A "minimal" investigation program, which can support the designers in their projects and appropriate mathematical models to study the vulnerability of the structures is suggested.