EUCENTRE

WELCOME TO THE NEARB PROJECT

On May 20th a shaking table test of a R.C. multistorey building was performed at the TREES Lab, on the as-built configuration. This test is part of the activities programmed in the research projects "Numerical and experimental assessment of recommendations for existing R.C. buildings included in OPCM 3274" and "Use of innovative materials for strengthening and reparation of R.C. structures in high seismicity areas" funded respectively by the Italian Civil Protection Department and the Foundation CARIPLO of Milan, Italy.

Specimen on the shaking table	Rendering Cad3D of the specimen

The research is aimed at verifying efficiency and accuracy of the rules for seismic assessment and repair of existing buildings included in the Italian Experimental Code OPCM 3274 published in 2003 and recently included in the new Italian Technical Regulations for Construction through the use of numerical simulations and experimental tests on a building representative of the construction in the years 50-60 in Italy (designed for gravity loads only). The experimental test was performed on a multistorey building scaled to 1:2 which replicates the characteristics of that used for the project SPEAR (Seismic Performance Assessment and Rehabilitation of Existing Buildings) and tested at ELSA (European Laboratory for Structural Assessment) of Ispra using the pseudo-dynamic technique. Testing phases consist of the seismic excitation applied to building using a natural accelerogram scaled at different levels of PGA, in order to observe the development of the collapse mode and the overall resistance of the building, alternated with tests at low acceleration (pseudo-random vibrations) to identify the damage progression. After the completion of this stage of test the building was repaired using FRP wrapping and is now ready to be tested again using the same techniques, in order to evaluate the efficiency of this strengthening strategy applied on this typology of building.