PSI - Issue 78

Valentina Buonocunto et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 78 (2026) 169–176

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Collectively, these data confirm a profound transformation in Italian masonry construction over the last century. The proposed taxonomy systematically accounts for these variations across time and space and provides a robust and flexible structure for regional vulnerability modeling. It allows for the classification of buildings into consistent typological groups, each of them associated with specific structural features and seismic fragility levels. The resulting framework supports the development of exposure models, fragility curves, and either single- or multi-hazard risk assessments, offering a practical and technically sound tool for researchers, engineers, and policymakers engaged in disaster risk mitigation and heritage conservation. 4. Conclusions This study presents a comprehensive and data-based taxonomy for the classification of Italian masonry buildings, with the goal of supporting regional risk assessments in areas subjected to earthquake and other hazards. The proposed framework integrates information from national databases, primarily CARTIS (Zuccaro et al., 2015) and ISTAT (2011), and organizes masonry structures according to construction period, masonry typology, and floor system, with additional structural and geometric parameters introduced to enable the definition of representative building archetypes. The analysis reveals a strong temporal evolution in construction practices, with a clear transition from irregular stone masonry and flexible diaphragms in pre-1919 buildings to regular brick masonry and rigid diaphragms in post 1981 constructions. These changes reflect advancements in materials, design standards, and seismic code implementation over the course of the 20th century. Furthermore, the integration of masonry typologies with mechanical classifications from Commentary No. 7/2019 to the Italian Building Code (MIT, 2019) represents a key step toward linking exposure data with fragility models in a consistent and scalable way. While CARTIS database offers detailed insights into the masonry stock, its spatial incompleteness, particularly in several northern and island regions, introduces a degree of uncertainty in nationwide estimates. Nonetheless, the regions with higher data completeness allow for statistically robust typological modeling and can serve as pilot areas for risk-oriented strategies. In addition to temporal evolution, the study highlights the influence of topographic (altitude-based) and demographic (population-based) factors on the distribution of masonry typologies. The disaggregation of data reveals that irregular stone masonry types are prevalent in small, mountainous municipalities, while regular masonry types dominate in large, plain urban centers. This observation supports the integration of geographical and social variables into seismic risk models, enabling a more accurate and spatially differentiated exposure characterization. The taxonomy developed here is designed to be modular, extensible, and compatible with various tools for vulnerability and loss assessment. It enables the generation of region-specific exposure models and supports the disaggregation of seismic risk at different territorial scales. The resulting typological classes can be used to prioritise interventions, calibrate fragility functions, and inform public policies for seismic risk mitigation and heritage conservation. Future developments might include: ( i ) the validation of the taxonomy against observed post-earthquake damage data; ( ii ) the extension of the taxonomy to incorporate additional construction parameters, such as vertical irregularities and wall-to-floor connections; ( iii ) the implementation of the taxonomy in disaster risk assessments. The ultimate goal is to contribute to the creation of a standardised evidence-based methodology for assessing and managing the seismic risk of masonry buildings across Italy. Acknowledgements This study was carried out within the framework of the following projects: DPC-ReLUIS 2024–2026 research project (WP10), funded by the Italian Civil Protection Department; FAIL-SAFE project ("near-real-time perFormance Assessment of exIsting buiLdings Subjected to initAl Failure through multi-scalE simulation and structural health monitoring", Grant No. P2022X7N2S_002, CUP N. E53D23003350006), which was funded by the European Union through the NextGenerationEU programme – National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) – Mission 4, Component 2, Investment 1.1, PRIN 2022 programme (D.D. 02/02/2022, No. 104; PI: Fulvio Parisi).