Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Empirical fragility curves for masonry buildings after the 2009 L’Aquila, Italy, earthquake

  • Original Research
  • Published:
Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study focuses on the seismic vulnerability of masonry buildings damaged by the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake. A geo-referenced database of 32,520 masonry residential buildings was compiled in the aftermath of the earthquake under the coordination of the Italian Department of Civil Protection through the AeDES survey form. The availability of this enormous amount of data provides an exceptional opportunity to examine in depth damage data and their correlation with the main parameters available from the post-earthquake survey. The original database was grouped into 20 building classes, defined as a function of vertical and horizontal structural types. Damage levels defined according to the European Macroseismic Scale classification are used to derive damage probability matrices and relevant vulnerability curves for these classes. The influences of connection systems, the quality/regularity of the masonry wall layout and the horizontal structural type on the building response are analysed in detail. A vulnerability classification, also supported by the use of statistical post hoc tests, is used to detect a reduced number of independent classes. The parameters of the non-crossing fragility curves are determined via the maximum likelihood estimation method by adopting a lognormal cumulative function to determine the exceedance probabilities of the considered damage levels. The impact of “mixed” classes, characterized by multiple vertical and/or horizontal structural types, on the derivation of the fragility curves is also investigated. Finally, the adaptation of the general version of the fragility curves to large-scale applications based on poor (census) data is also demonstrated, leading to curves that are easily usable in regional/national seismic loss assessments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baggio C, Bernardini A, Colozza R, Coppari S, Corazza L, Della Bella M, Di Pasquale G, Dolce M, Goretti A, Martinelli A, Orsini G, Papa F, Zuccaro G (2007) Field manual for post-earthquake damage and safety assessment and short term countermeasures. In: Pinto A, Taucer F (eds) Translation from Italian: Goretti A, Rota M, JRC Scientific and Technical Reports, EUR 22868 EN-2007

  • Baker JW (2015) Efficient analytical fragility function fitting using dynamic structural analysis. Earthq Spectra 5(31):579–599. https://doi.org/10.1193/021113EQS025M

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bazzurro P, Cornell CA (2002) Vector-valued probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (VPSHA). In: Proceedings of the 7th US national conference on earthquake engineering, pp 21–25

  • Bernardini A, Lagomarsino S, Mannella A, Martinelli A, Milano L, Parodi S, Coolen F, Oberguggenberger M, Troffaes M (2010) Forecasting seismic damage scenarios of residential buildings from rough inventories: a case-study in the Abruzzo Region (Italy). Proc Inst Mech Eng Part O J Risk Reliab 224(4):279–296

    Google Scholar 

  • Braga F, Dolce M, Liberatore D (1982) A statistical study on damaged buildings and an ensuing review of the MSK-76 scale. In: Proceedings of the 7th European conference on earthquake engineering, Athens, Greece, pp 431–450

  • Colombi M, Borzi B, Crowley H, Onida M, Meroni F, Pinho R (2008) Deriving vulnerability curves using Italian earthquake damage data. Bull Earthq Eng 6(3):485–504

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crowley H, Colombi M, Borzi B, Faravelli M, Onida M, Lopez M, Polli D, Meroni F, Pinho R (2009) A comparison of seismic risk maps for Italy. Bull Earthq Eng 7(1):149–180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Ayala DF, Paganoni S (2011) Assessment and analysis of damage in L’Aquila historic city centre after 6th April 2009. Bull Earthq Eng 9(1):81–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Martino G, Di Ludovico M, Prota A, Moroni C, Manfredi G, Dolce M (2017) Estimation of repair costs for RC and masonry residential buildings based on damage data collected by post-earthquake visual inspection. Bull Earthq Eng 15(4):1681–1706. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-016-0039-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers D.P.C.M (2011) Approval of the tool to assess the damages, the emergency countermeasures and usability of ordinary buildings in the post-seismic emergency and relevant manual. (In Italian), Approvazione del modello per il rilevamento dei danni, pronto intervento e agibilità per edifici ordinari nell’emergenza post-sismica e del relativo manuale di compilazione. Pubblicata nella Gazzetta Ufficiale n. 113, Supplemento Ordinario n. 123, 17 Maggio 2011

  • Decreto ministeriale DM (1975) Approvazione delle norme tecniche per le costruzioni in zone sismiche (in Italian)

  • Del Gaudio C, De Martino G, Di Ludovico M, Ricci P, Verderame GM (2016) Empirical fragility curves from damage data on RC buildings after the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake. Bull Earthq Eng 15:1425. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-016-0026-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Del Gaudio C, Di Domenico M, Ricci P, Verderame GM (2018) Preliminary prediction of damage to residential buildings following the 21st August 2017 Ischia earthquake. Bull Earthq Eng 16(10):4607–4637. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-018-0368-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Di Ludovico M, Prota A, Moroni C, Manfredi G, Dolce M (2017a) Reconstruction process of damaged residential buildings outside historical centres after the L’Aquila earthquake: part I—“light damage” reconstruction. Bull Earthq Eng 15:667–692. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-016-9877-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Di Ludovico M, Prota A, Moroni C, Manfredi G, Dolce M (2017b) Reconstruction process of damaged residential buildings outside historical centres after the L’Aquila earthquake: part II—“heavy damage” reconstruction. Bull Earthq Eng 15:693–729. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-016-9979-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Di Pasquale G, Orsini G, Romeo RW (2005) New developments in seismic risk assessment in Italy. Bull Earthq Eng 3(1):101–128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dolce M, Goretti A (2015) Building damage assessment after the 2009 Abruzzi earthquake. Bull Earthq Eng 13(8):2241–2264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dolce M, Masi A, Marino M, Vona M (2003) Earthquake damage scenarios of the building stock of Potenza (Southern Italy) including site effects. Bull Earthq Eng 1:115–140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dolce M, Speranza E, Giordano F, Borzi B, Bocchi F, Conte C, Di Meo A, Faravelli M, Pascale V (2017) Da. DO—a web-based tool for analyzing and comparing post-earthquake damage database relevant to national seismic events since 1976. In: Atti del XVII Convegno ANIDIS L’ingegneria Sismica in Italia. Pisa University Press, pp 347–357

  • Du W, Wang G (2014) Fully probabilistic seismic displacement analysis of spatially distributed slopes using spatially correlated vector intensity measures. Earthquake Eng Struct Dynam 43(5):661–679

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (2012) Hazus-MH 2.1 Technical manual: earthquake model

  • Galli P, Camassi R, Azzaro R, Bernardini F, Castenetto S, Molin D, Peronace E, Rossi A, Vecchi M, Tertulliani A (2009) Il terremoto aquilano del 6 aprile 2009: rilievo macrosismico, effetti di superficie ed implicazioni sismotettoniche. Il Quaternario 22:235–246

    Google Scholar 

  • Giovinazzi S, Lagomarsino S (2004) A macroseismic method for the vulnerability assessment of buildings. In: Proceedings of 13th world conference on earthquake engineering

  • Goretti A, Di Pasquale G (2002) An overview of post-earthquake damage assessment in Italy. In: EERI invitational workshop an action plan to develop earthquake damage and loss protocols, Pasadena California

  • Goretti A, Di Pasquale G (2004) Building inspection and damage data for the 2002 Molise, Italy, earthquake. Earthq Spectra 20(S1):S167–S190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grünthal G (1998) Cahiers du Centre Européen de Géodynamique et de Séismologie: volume 15—European Macroseismic Scale 1998. European Center for Geodynamics and Seismology, Luxembourg

  • Hollander M, Wolfe DA, Chicken E (2013) Nonparametric statistical methods. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Indirli M, Kouris LAS, Formisano A, Borg RP, Mazzolani FM (2013) Seismic damage assessment of unreinforced masonry structures after the Abruzzo 2009 earthquake: the case study of the historical centres of L’Aquila and Castelvecchio Subequo. Int J Arch Heritage. ISSN:1350-7524, vol 7, pp 536–578

  • Karababa F, Pomonis A (2010) Damage data analysis and vulnerability estimation following the August 14, 2003 Lefkada Island, Greece, Earthquake. Bull Earthq Eng 9:1015–1046

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lagomarsino G, Giovinazzi S (2006) Macroseismic and mechanical models for the vulnerability and damage assessment of current buildings. Bull Earthq Eng 4:415–443

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Legge (1684) del 25/11/1962. Provvedimenti per l’edilizia, con particolari prescrizioni per le zone sismiche. G.U. n. 326 del 22/12/1962 (in Italian)

  • Liel A, Lynch K (2012) Vulnerability of reinforced-concrete-frame buildings and their occupants in the 2009 L’Aquila, Italy, Earthquake. Nat Hazards Rev 13(1):11–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lucantoni A, Bosi V, Bramerini F, De Marco R, Lo Presti T, Naso G, Sabetta F (2001) Seismic risk in Italy. Ing Sismica 1:5–36 (in Italian)

    Google Scholar 

  • Michelini A, Faenza L, Lauciani V, Malagnini L (2008) ShakeMap implementation in Italy. Seismol Res Lett 79(5):688–697

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mouroux P, Le Brun B (2006) Presentation of RISK-UE project. Bull Earthq Eng 4(4):323–339

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • EERI Newsletter (2009) The MW 6.3 Abruzzi, Italy, earthquake of April 6, 2009. EERI Special Earthquake Report, June 2009

  • Ordinance of the President of the Council of Ministers, O.P.C.M. n. 3274 (2003) First elements in matter of general criteria for the seismic classification of the national territory and technical norms for the constructions in seismic zones (In Italian), O.P.C.M. n. 3274, del 20 Marzo 2003—“Primi elementi in materia di criteri generali per la classificazione sismica del territorio nazionale e di normative tecniche per le costruzioni in zona sismica”. Pubblicata nella Gazzetta Ufficiale n. 108 del 8 maggio 2003

  • Orsini G (1999) A model for buildings’ vulnerability assessment using the Parameterless Scale of Seismic Intensity (PSI). Earthq Spectra 15(3):463–483

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Porter K (2018) A beginner’s guide to fragility, vulnerability, and risk. University of Colorado Boulder. http://spot.colorado.edu/~porterka/Porter-beginnersguide.pdf

  • D.M.LL.PP January 16, 1996. Technical Rules for Constructions. (In Italian), D.M.LL.PP del 16 Gennaio 1996 “Norme tecniche per le costruzioni in zona sismica”

  • Regio Decreto Legge RDL n. 2105 (1937) Norme tecniche di edilizia con speciali prescrizioni per le località colpite dai terremoti. G.U. n. 298 del 27/12/1937 (in Italian)

  • Regio Decreto Legge RDL n. 431 (1927) Norme tecniche ed igieniche di edilizia per le località colpite dai terremoti. G.U. n. 82 dell’8/4/1927 (in Italian)

  • Royal Decree n. 431 (1927) Technical and sanitary building regulations for localities affected by earthquakes. (In Italian) RDL n. 431 del 13 Marzo 1927 (1927). Norme tecniche ed igieniche di edilizia per le località colpite dai terremoti. Pubblicata nella Gazzetta Ufficiale Regno d’Italia 08/04/1927, n. 82

  • Regio Decreto Legge RDL n. 573 (1915) Che riguarda le norme tecniche ed igieniche da osservarsi per i lavori edilizi nelle località colpite dal terremoto del 13 gennaio 1915. G.U. n. 117 dell’11/5/1915 (in Italian)

  • Regio Decreto Legge RDL n. 640 (1935) Nuovo testo delle norme tecniche di edilizia con speciali prescrizioni per le località colpite dai terremoti. G.U. n. 120 del 22/5/1935 (in Italian)

  • RISK-UE (2001–2004) An advanced approach to earthquake risk scenarios, with applications to different European cities. http://www.risk-ue.net

  • Rossetto T (2004) Vulnerability curves for the seismic assessment of reinforced concrete structure populations, Ph.D. thesis, Imperial College, London, UK

  • Rossetto T, Elnashai A (2003) Derivation of vulnerbaility functions for European-type RC structures based on observational data. Eng Struct 25(10):1241–1263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rossetto T, Ioannou I, Grant DN (2013) Existing empirical fragility and vulnerability functions: compendium and guide for selection, GEM Technical Report 2013–X. GEM Foundation, Pavia

    Google Scholar 

  • Rossetto T, D’Ayala D, Ioannou I, Meslem A (2014) Evaluation of existing fragility curves. SYNER-G: typology definition and fragility functions for physical elements at seismic risk. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 47–93

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Rota M, Penna A, Strobbia CL (2008) Processing Italian damage data to derive typological fragility curves. Soil Dyn Earthq Eng 28(10):933–947

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sabetta F, Goretti A, Lucantoni A (1998) Empirical fragility curves from damage surveys and estimated strong ground motion. In: Proceedings of the 11th European conference on earthquake engineering, Paris, France, September 6–11

  • Sieberg A (1930) Geologie der Erdbeben. Handbuch der Geophysik 2(4):552–555

    Google Scholar 

  • Silva V, Amo-Oduro D, Calderon A, Dabbeek J, DespotakiV, Martins L, Rao A, Simionato M, Viganò D, Yepes C, Acevedo A, Horspool N, Crowley H, Jaiswal K, Journeay M, Pittore M (2018) Global earthquake model (GEM) seismic risk map (version 2018.1). https://doi.org/10.13117/gem-global-seismic-risk-map-2018.1

  • Singhal A, Kiremidjian AS (1996) Method for probabilistic evaluation of seismic structural damage. ASCE J Struct Eng 122(12):1459–1467

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sisti R, Di Ludovico M, Borri A, Prota A (2018) Damage assessment and the effectiveness of prevention: the response of ordinary unreinforced masonry buildings in Norcia during the Central Italy 2016–2017 seismic sequence. Bull Earthq Eng. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-018-0448-z

  • Spence RJS, Coburn AW, Pomonis A (1992) Correlation of ground motion with building damage: the definition of a new damage-based seismic intensity scale. In: Proceedings of 10th world conference on earthquake engineering, Balkema, Rotterdam

  • Whitman RV, Reed JW, Hong ST (1973) Earthquake damage probability matrices. In: Proceedings of the fifth world conference on earthquake engineering

  • Willett JB, Singer JD (1988) Another cautionary note about R2: its use in weighted least-squares regression analysis. Am Stat 42(3):236–238

    Google Scholar 

  • Zuccaro G (2004) Inventory and vulnerability of the residential building stock at a national level, seismic risk and social/economic loss maps. CD-ROM, Naples

    Google Scholar 

  • Zuccaro G, Cacace F (2009) Revisione dell’inventario a scala nazionale delle classi tipologiche di vulnerabilità ed aggiornamento delle mappe nazionali di rischio sismico. Atti del XIII Convegno ANIDIS “L’ingegneria sismica in Italia”, June 28–July 2, Bologna, Italy. Paper S14.39 (in Italian)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Structures for Engineering and Architecture, University of Naples Federico II, Via Claudio, 21, Naples, Italy

    Carlo Del Gaudio, Giuseppina De Martino, Marco Di Ludovico, Gaetano Manfredi, Andrea Prota, Paolo Ricci & Gerardo Mario Verderame

Authors
  1. Carlo Del Gaudio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Giuseppina De Martino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marco Di Ludovico
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Gaetano Manfredi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Andrea Prota
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Paolo Ricci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Gerardo Mario Verderame
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carlo Del Gaudio.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Del Gaudio, C., De Martino, G., Di Ludovico, M. et al. Empirical fragility curves for masonry buildings after the 2009 L’Aquila, Italy, earthquake. Bull Earthquake Eng 17, 6301–6330 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-019-00683-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-019-00683-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation