A methodology for the seismic risk mitigation based on mechanical models: the case of reinforced concrete schools in Genoa (Italy)

Recent earthquakes have highlighted the potential seismic vulnerability of existing reinforced concrete buildings; not only in case of residential buildings but also strategic structures, such as schools or hospitals. Thus, a reliable vulnerability assessment at large scale becomes crucial in particular for public institutions to optimize the criteria to identify the priorities of intervention (priority lists) in order to better allocate the limited economic resources. Among the different approaches proposed in literature, the use of mechanical models seems particularly suitable to this aim. These models, being based on a limited number of geometrical and mechanical parameters, allow to describe the inelastic response of buildings by capacity curves. In the paper the attention is focused on the DBVconcrete model proposed in Lagomarsino et al. (2010) based on the displacement-based approach. It has been applied on the case of 55 schools of Genoa Province (North Italy). Results are compared to those provided by on observational vulnerability model in order to combine these different approaches for defining proper priority list