What would be the effects of an earthquake on buildings in the historic center of Mount Titano? The University of San Marino and the University of California, San Diego provide[...]

In the scientific journal Resilient Cities and Structures, a research based on 3D surveys, site inspections and more

The international scientific journal Resilient Cities and Structures (RCS), which covers research and technologies involved in the resilience of homes, buildings, and other structures to phenomena such as earthquakes, floods, and fires, has published an in-depth study on the historic center of San Marino. The study was written by Davide Forcellini, Scott McAvoy, and Falko Kuester, who oversaw a project carried out by the University of the Republic of San Marino and the University of California, San Diego.

Through a series of 3D surveys and site visits, the three academics developed a study that explores the vulnerability of a specific area in the upper part of Mount Titan in the event of an earthquake. Hence, they proposed a method that goes beyond a focus on individual buildings to offer a more sophisticated approach that considers entire groups of buildings. This is in light of the characteristics of historic centers, where buildings often adjoin one another.

The focus of the study was on the group of buildings located between the Omagnano district, the Pianello district, and Piazza della Libertà, which overlook some of Mount Titan's main institutional buildings. These are, in other words, the buildings on the left as you walk from the cable car station toward the Parva Domus.

Nine buildings were affected, mapped using the most up-to-date technologies available to the three researchers. The analyses revealed values ​​that allowed them to determine the damage they would suffer in the event of an earthquake and the subsequent timeframes and processes required to repair it, formulating a series of solutions with timeframes ranging from 10 to 365 days.

Among the benefits of the article is the possibility of using the proposed method in any historic center to make decisions that can prevent potential problems and, following a potential earthquake, indicate more quickly and precisely how to respond.

The analysis represents a further step in the path that over the last ten years has seen the Sammarinese Forcellini constantly study the characteristics of the UNESCO area of

Titano: among the main activities, an initial 3D survey was conducted in 2016 as part of a project involving nine academics, following which a workshop was proposed. More recently, in 2024, a study on the Palazzo Pubblico was presented at the university's Ancient Monastery of Santa Chiara, followed by the publication, in collaboration with the Società Unione Mutuo Soccorso (SUMS), of the book "Seismic Resilience in San Marino." Last March, a seminar provided a further update on the activities that led to the publication in Resilient Cities and Structures (RCS).