The STRIC project: the new international center for research on sciences and techniques of physical, economic and social reconstruction

The design and future perspective of the new International Center for Research on Sciences and Techniques of Physical, Economic and Social Reconstruction (STRIC), currently under construction, is the focus of this study. STRIC aims to become a strategic reference infrastructure for Italy and Europe to enhance community preparedness towards seismic risk, other natural hazards, and post-event reconstruction. Funded by the Italian Government, the laboratory has been designed with significant flexibility. This paper illustrates preliminary studies carried out for the design of structural engineering facility, which in its final configuration will include a pit hosting two 6-DOFs shake-tables—one fixed and the other movable up to 30 m—each with a 28-ton payload capacity. This configuration enables seismic testing of structural and infrastructural components, tests on electrical systems, soil-structure interaction, and hybrid simulations. The laboratory will also feature a movable reaction wall usable alone or in combination with the movable shake-table. The location, near Camerino, was chosen to enhance the attractiveness of inner areas severely affected by the 2016 Central Italy seismic sequence and to foster research and industrial partnerships. The STRIC facility will be managed by a consortium of universities and research centers.