Analysis and repair of clustered buildings: case study of a block in the historic city centre of L'Aquila (Central Italy)

This work presents a pilot study of a clustered building in the historic city centre of L’Aquila, Central Italy, damaged by the earthquake of April 6, 2009. This block was identified under an Ordinance issued during the emergency phase, which obliges the owners of interconnected buildings to constitute consortia to repair and/or re-construct their properties. The selected block has the problems and peculiarities of most of the built environment of the historic city centre of L’Aquila, and of many other old city centres. This study was based on historic search, survey and analysis of the structure with regard to proposals for repair and seismic strengthening. In particular, it describes problems encountered in the various levels of survey and damage interpretation and those of modelling and analysis of the structural behaviour of clustered masonry buildings. The proposed method is suitable for application to other clusters with similar characteristics, in L’Aquila and other historic city centres.