PSI - Issue 78

Gennaro Magliulo et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 78 (2026) 1847–1854

1848

seismic response and capacity measures. The study provides guidance for assessing seismic behavior of hospital components and provides representative quantitative measures associated with their seismic capacity and safety. © 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of XX ANIDIS Conference organizers

Keywords: hospital buildings; seismic assessment; ENRICH project; seismic capacity; seismic resilience.

1. Introduction The national PRIN 2020 ENRICH project, launched in 2022, stems from the awareness that the operability of hospitals during and after an earthquake is often compromised by the vulnerability of nonstructural elements, such as medical equipment, systems, and architectural finishes. To address this critical issue, the project aims to strengthen the resilience of Italian healthcare facilities, focusing not only on seismic resistance but also on the functional flexibility of buildings—an essential factor in ensuring the continuity of services in emergency situations. ENRICH adopts an integrated approach that combines theoretical research with practical application, through on-site investigations, experimental testing, numerical analyses, simulations, and communication activities targeted at professionals and decision-makers. The goal is to develop innovative solutions, including technological tools and planning strategies, that support a more proactive and informed risk management. The research activities are designed to generate outcomes that are not merely academic, but concretely applicable to improving the safety of hospital infrastructure. The project's impact goes beyond the scientific domain, involving important social and economic dimensions. Enhancing the resilience of hospitals means ensuring the continuity of essential services, protecting patients and healthcare workers, and reducing costs associated with damage and operational disruptions. Moreover, the methodologies and solutions developed have potential applications in other seismic risk contexts, both nationally and internationally. The project involves multiple Italian academic and research institutions, fostering a multidisciplinary collaboration aimed at making real improvements in hospital safety. This paper offers a summary of the project's main methodological developments and results, with references for further reading. 2. Field surveys and experimental investigations 2.1. Technical surveys in healthcare facilities As part of the ENRICH project activities, technical inspections were carried out in several hospital facilities located in the provinces of Caserta and Benevento. The aim was to identify the main deficiencies related to non-structural elements. This initial phase had a dual objective: on the one hand, to identify the installation conditions and constraints of mechanical systems and architectural elements; on the other, to assess the potential functional impact caused by the damage or malfunction of these components in the event of an earthquake. The surveys revealed numerous mechanical and functional vulnerabilities. For instance, some tanks were found inadequately anchored to the concrete base (Fig. 1a), and methane gas pipes were directly and rigidly connected to boilers—a configuration that poses a serious hazard during seismic events due to the risk of rupture and gas leakage. Other significant vulnerabilities involved suspended piping systems (for water, gas, and steam), which were often simply resting on spaced metal supports without any bracing or vibration-damping systems (Fig. 1b). Even more critical was the use of rigid connections at wall and floor penetrations: many pipes were cemented directly at the crossing points (Fig. 1c), without flexible joints, making them highly susceptible to breakage during seismic events. The analysis of the results allowed for the selection, based on vulnerability and functional importance, of certain types of non-structural elements to be systematically investigated. In particular, it was observed that building service networks — including mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic systems — are a key component for the continuous operation of the hospital and therefore a priority for analysis. Internal partition walls were also considered significant, both lightweight partitions used for space compartmentalization and thicker walls intended to separate high-risk areas