Palace of the Financial Offices at Bolzano – DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT OF SEISMIC VULNERABILITY

The diagnostic activity was developed in compliance with Italian codes (D.P.C.M. 09/02/2011). The so-called path of knowledge has been developed through geometric survey, historical analysis of the events and interventions suffered by the building, material survey, analysis of construction and conservation status and mechanical characterization of both materials, foundations and soil.

Particularly due to the architectural interest of the building and to the need to minimize the disturbance to users (the building is currently almost completely occupied by offices) the tests that have an impact on the construction (samples taken from the concrete elements and flat jacks tests on the masonry) have been joined by non-destructive tests (sonic and ultrasonic) in order to extend the results and however guarantee the representativeness of the results. The deepening level of analysis allowed to consider the LC3 level of knowledge (the maximum level expected) and therefore to apply the confidence factor FC = 1 (the minimum value) so operating in the most compliant way to represent the real state of actual building.

The diagnostic data were then used to implement a structural model that fully represents the building. Through the execution of the modal analysis and the linear dynamic analysis, it was therefore possible to calculate the seismic risk indicator in terms of ground acceleration, which was compared with the values foreseen by the code in order to allow the expression of a technical judgment concerning the vulnerability of the building.