Integrated approach for seismic vulnerability analysis of historic massive defensive structures

This paper illustrates a multidisciplinary integrated approach for analysing the seismic vulnerability of historical massive defensive structures. To this end, a fortress having massive walls, internal discontinuity surfaces, cavities and internal passages organized in a complex three-dimensional geometry, is used as testbed structure. The presented workflow should be considered as a contribution to define a general framework and foster the development of guidelines for seismic vulnerability analysis of historic massive structures. In fact, massive constructions cannot be modelled as an assembly of vertical panels, horizontal floors, towers and vaults, as is the case of other more common building typologies, such as churches and palaces, for which codified catalogues of collapse mechanisms are available.