Seismic Performance Improvement and Energy Optimization for Structures

Dear Colleagues,

The latest seismic events have once again highlighted the extreme fragility of real estate assets, and, in particular, of historic centers which often contain an invaluable cultural heritage. The dramatic nature of events gave further impetus to the already considerable efforts of the scientific world in carrying out the numerous ongoing initiatives at a scientific, technical, and regulatory level.

The problem of protecting the built environment in earthquake-prone regions involves not only an optimal design and construction of new facilities, but also the upgrading and rehabilitation of existing structures, including heritage buildings. The type of highly specialized retrofitting employed to protect built heritage is an important area of research.

Today, in fact, the preservation of civil structures and, especially, architectural heritage represents a considerable concern in many countries, especially due to the decay and to the risk associated to natural extreme actions, such as earthquakes. An evaluation supported by nondestructive methods and techniques is especially important to safely survey and report on the structural health of ancient buildings and architectural heritage. Heavy interventions can be avoided if a rigorous preventive structural health assessment is enforced in structures that have often suffered many changes in time. With this aim, the Special Issue focuses on the use of:

 

• Nondestructive methods based on sensor technology, data processing techniques, and analysis methods to get an extensive knowledge of the structural health and the operative conditions of buildings and structures;
• Choice of the optimal type of intervention for improving the performance of the structure in a seismic area, thus leading to the most appropriate control strategy and refurbishment provision, including innovative protection technologies, as effective solutions to respond to the constantly increasing performance requirements in structural design and rehabilitation.

 

At the same time, the Issue invites papers on new and challenging research perspectives related to the improvement of the energy efficiency capacity of structures, very important today to reduce the energy costs of a building.

The objective of this Special Issue is to provide readers with the latest research and application achievements in the field, including emerging aspects in analytical and finite element modeling, design, testing, and practical implementation studies.

We encourage and invite authors to submit original research articles as well as review papers.

Multidisciplinary papers are especially encouraged. Potential topics include but are not limited to:

- Seismic hazard and seismic risk;

- Structural control;

- Techniques for the forecast of seismic excitation;

- Vulnerability of historical and contemporaneous structures;

- Retrofit systems and techniques;

- Evaluation of existing damage in structures;

- Evolutive stage of cracks and injuries in building;

- In situ monitoring of existing structures;

- Dynamic identification of existing structures;

- Assessment, repair, and strengthening of structures;

- Advanced on-site field testing of structures and infrastructures;

- Advanced laboratory tests of structural and nonstructural components and systems, contents and

equipment;

- Eco-efficiency techniques for structures;

- Devices to improve the eco-efficiency of buildings.

Prof. Dr. Dora Foti
Dr. Ramon Gonzalez-Drigo
Dr. Michela Lerna
Guest Editors

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