PSI - Issue 78

Matteo Calzolari et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 78 (2026) 1119–1125

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1. Introduction Historic masonry buildings are characterized by marked heterogeneity, both in composition and in mechanical properties, due to the variability of the materials employed, such as blocks and mortars. Furthermore, the numerous transformations they have undergone over time make it difficult to achieve a univocal structural characterization, in terms of both material properties and construction details. Earthquakes represent the main threat to historic buildings, as clearly demonstrated in the case of fortresses (Valente et al. 2019; Tiberti et al. 2016) and churches (Sorrentino et al. 2013), since they expose the inherent vulnerabilities and structural discontinuities. Within this context, the study of Palazzo Gulinelli, a Renaissance historic structure located in Ferrara and owned by the University of Ferrara, serves as a relevant example of the aforementioned issues. Over the years, the building has undergone numerous structural interventions which compromised its integrity, resulting in widespread cracking and increased vulnerability. This paper aims to assess the post-earthquake conditions of Palazzo Gulinelli through a comprehensive crack pattern analysis of the damage caused by the 2012 Emilia seismic sequence. In particular, the proposed approach enables the correlation of the observed damage with the stress caused by the seismic event. The safety level of the most severely damaged portion of the building will be assessed through the application of linear kinematic analyses to the most vulnerable out-of-plane failure mechanisms. Recent developments (Nale et al. 2025; Gatta et al. 2025) in the out-of-plane analysis of masonry walls have shown the capabilities of advanced numerical methods using virtual elements and cohesive interfaces. However, more classical approaches based on rigid block models still remain a valid, simple-to-use method to interpret seismic induced damages. These approaches may also be integrated with the introduction of uncertainties to take account of scarce information on geometry and loads (Nale et al. 2023). 2. The case study Palazzo Contughi-Gulinelli, built in 1542 at the behest of the nobleman Girolamo Mario Contughi, represents a significant example of Renaissance architecture in Ferrara. The building features a relatively compact floor plan and is located within the western row of buildings along Via Savonarola. An aerial view of the structure is shown in Fig. 1 (a). From a geometrical and constructional standpoint, the building aggregate is characterized as a structure originally well-conceived, featuring a regular plan and elevation layout, without disconnected volumes. As shown in Fig. 1, the building is connected to the adjacent constructions, and it can therefore be classified as a part of an aggregate.

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Fig. 1. (a) Aerial view of Palazzo Gulinelli; (b) Main facade of Palazzo Gulinelli. (a) (b)