Analysis of Site Response and Building Damage Distribution Induced by the 31 October 2002 Earthquake at San Giuliano di Puglia (Italy)

This paper concerns the analysis of the site amplification that significantly influenced the non-uniform damage distribution observed at San Giuliano di Puglia (Italy) after the 2002 Molise earthquake (MW = 5.7). In fact, the historical core of the town, settled on outcropping rock, received less damage than the more recent buildings, founded on a clayey subsoil. Comprehensive geotechnical and geophysical investigations allowed a detailed definition of the subsoil model. The seismic response of the subsoil was analyzed through 2-D finite-element and 3-D spectral-element methods. The accuracy of such models was verified by comparing the numerical predictions to the aftershocks recorded by a temporary seismic network. After calibration, the seismic response to a synthetic input motion reproducing the main shock was simulated. The influence of site amplification on the damage distribution observed was finally interpreted by combining the predicted variation of ground motion parameters with the structural vulnerability of the buildings.

On the Cross of Sant'Andrea: The Response to the Tragedy of San Giuliano di Puglia following the 2002 Molise, Italy, Earthquake

This paper reviews the recovery process in San Giuliano di Puglia, the one town in the Molise earthquake to suffer both extensive fatalities and widespread severe damage to its building stock. It focuses on three issues related to the recovery process: (1) the initial decision to close the central part of the town and to relocate most of the townspeople into temporary housing, (2) the location and design of the temporary “new village,” (3) the demolition rather than repair of many damaged buildings, and (4) the ongoing planning for the permanent relocation of the town center to a new area away from what had been the town's “main street.” The paper discusses the inspection, shoring and demolition process. Connecting all these issues is the question of how relief aid should be managed to best assist in recovery on all levels, including the psychological well-being of the people and the community.

Performance of Lifelines during the 2002 Molise, Italy, Earthquake

The Molise earthquake affected a wide rural area with sparse houses, villages and towns. The paper investigates the response of water, electric power, telecommunications, natural gas, rail and motorway systems. Despite the amount of damage to buildings, lifeline systems reported only minor damage. The damage was light not only because the event caused relatively moderate ground motion in the affected area but also because the main lifelines do not cross the epicentral region and were in a fair state of maintenance.

Macroseismic Survey of the 2002 Molise, Italy, Earthquake and Historical Seismicity of San Giuliano di Puglia

The eastern Molise earthquake had an epicentral intensity of Io=7–8 MCS (Mercalli-Cancani-Sieberg scale) and a maximum intensity of Imax=8–9 in the village of San Giuliano di Puglia. The historical portion of this village, built on a marly limestone hill, had intensities of 6–7 MCS, whereas the most recently developed area, on a crest of marly clays, had a local intensity of I=9–10 MCS, and was almost totally destroyed. Neighboring villages were generally struck with an intensity of 6–7 MCS. In several places, the damage was due to gravity-driven phenomena affecting both the rocky and clayey substratum of the villages. The epicentral area is characterized by the lack of historical earthquakes comparable to the 2002 sequence, having suffered only the effects of distant, strong (M>6.5) events, coming either from the Apennine seismogenic belt or from the Gargano area.

Damage and Vulnerability Assessment of Churches after the 2002 Molise, Italy, Earthquake

The 2002 Molise, Italy, earthquake sequence shocked the Italian public because it killed school children, but it also highlighted the fact that seismic vulnerability of historic masonry buildings has increased because of reinforcement work that has been done in the last 50 years. Replacing the original wooden roof structure with new reinforced concrete or steel elements, inserting reinforced concrete tie-beams in the masonry and new reinforced concrete floors, and using reinforced concrete jacketing on the shear walls are all widely used interventions. However, they lead to increased seismic force (because of greater weight) and to deformations incompatible with the masonry walls. The authors present results of an extensive survey of damage resulting from recent Italian seismic events (with particular reference to the Molise earthquake). We evaluate the effectiveness and applicability of some retrofitting methods in the hope that these findings will be taken into account in technical codes.