PSI - Issue 78

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com

ScienceDirect

Procedia Structural Integrity 78 (2026) 1119–1125

XX ANIDIS Conference Seismic damage analysis for historic buildings: the case of Palazzo Gulinelli in Ferrara Matteo Calzolari a, *, Fabio Minghini a , Marco Nale a , Beatrice Travasoni a , Nerio Tullini a

a Department of Engineering, University of Ferrara, via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara, Italy

© 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: post-earthquake assessment, damage detection, seismic risk assessment, historical buildings; This study proposes a methodology of analysis relative to some local critical mechanisms. In particular, the proposed approach integrates damage surveys, materials characterization, and classification of the main failure mechanisms activated during the earthquake, relating the modes to the specific construction features of Renaissance architecture. The methodology is based on rapid surveys, simplified modelling and vulnerability analysis, with the aim of providing practical tools for the prevention and mitigation of seismic risk. Abstract The seismic risk assessment of historic heritage is a challenge for seismic engineering, due to the historical and cultural value of these buildings and the transformations they have undergone over time. Structures in historic centres, often built in aggregate and using traditional construction techniques, require in-depth knowledge of materials, structural connections, construction technologies, and the historical building context. This contribution deals with the case of the Renaissance buildings owned by the University of Ferrara, located along Via Savonarola, which were damaged during the 2012 Emilia seismic sequence. These buildings, currently unusable, are the focus of a complex process involving surveys, investigations, analyses, and seismic retrofitting techniques.

* Corresponding author. E-mail address: matteo.calzolari@unife.it

2452-3216 © 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 10.1016/j.prostr.2025.12.143