Advantages and limitations of using foamed bitumen

Foamed asphalt refers to a bituminous mixture of road-building aggregates and foamed bitumen, produced by a cold mix process. There are a lot of related issue that has not been sufficiently investigated so far. It is worthwhile to overview the main theoretical and practical results in the field in several countries including those of the authors of the paper. It is clear that the foamed asphalt is usually characterized by high quality and reasonable cost, can be used in cold road pavement rehabilitation, in addition to it the technique is environ-mentally friendly preserving natural resources. Using foamed bitumen reduces the emissions of carbon dioxide and gases resulting from combustion, especially when it is used as a cold rehabilitation binder and mixed with re-claimed asphalt pavement materials.

AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH FOR THE SEISMIC VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF HISTORICAL CENTRES IN MASONRY BUILDING AGGREGATES: APPLICATION TO THE CITY OF SCARPERIA, ITALY

The seismic vulnerability of masonry building aggregates is very difficult to determine, since it is affected by many uncertainties. The most uncertain quantities concern the historical periodization of structural aggregates. Moreover, the studies made at the urban scale can hardly be thorough, and usually the knowledge achieved on the single units is not fully satisfactory, so that the structural designer has to deal with uncompleted architectonical surveys and partial data; one of the most important problems concerns the lack of knowledge about the boundary conditions between adjacent structures. In order to perform mechanical analyses, an extensive knowledge of materials and techniques adopted is required. In this paper, an integrated methodology for the seismic assessment of building aggregate is presented. It concerns a multidisciplinary knowledge-based approach calibrated over the historical centres and the urban aggregates; the procedure joins different aspects, such as the use of modern technologies for an integrated knowledge, plans reconstructions through archival documents, laser scanner digital survey of urban fronts, non-destructive investigations of the materials. GIS and BIM platforms have been used to implement and collect data in order to perform detailed analyses. The information allowed to assess the seismic vulnerability of the building aggregates and the expected damage scenarios through empirical methodologies. The city of Scarperia, founded a few kilometres from Florence during the Medieval Age and characterized by a medium seismicity, has been chosen as a case study for the presented procedure.

Geo-Hazard-Based Approach for the Estimation of Seismic Vulnerability and Damage Scenarios of the Old City of Senerchia (Avellino, Italy)

The large-scale seismic risk assessment is a crucial point for safeguarding people and planning adequate mitigation plans in urban areas. The current research work aims at analysing a sector of the historic centre of Senerchia, located in the province of Avellino, in order to assess the seismic vulnerability and damage of old masonry building compounds. First, the typological classification of the inspected building aggregates is developed using the CARTIS form developed by the PLINIVS research centre in collaboration with the Italian Civil Protection Department. The global seismic vulnerability assessment of the building sample is carried out using the macroseismic method according to the EMS-98 scale in order to identify the buildings most susceptible to seismic damage. Furthermore, 12 damage scenarios are developed by means of an appropriate seismic attenuation law. Finally, the expected damage scenarios considering the local hazard effects induced are developed in order to evaluate the damage increment, averagely equal to 50%, due to the seismic amplification of different soil categories.

Energy and Seismic Recovering of Ancient Hamlets: the Case of Baia e Latina

This research proposes the development of a diagnostic tool to separately inspect the energetic and seismic behaviour of buildings in the small hamlet of Baia e Latina (district of Caserta) in order to evaluate and implement retrofitting interventions from seismic, energetic, and functional points of view. Methods, approaches, and tools relating to the minimisation of seismic vulnerability and energy consumption have been increasingly used and tested in order to ensure both sustainability and safety, with a connection that may improve the performances of both cultural and environmental heritage. The diagnosis method, stemming from the energy audit and the energy imprint evaluations of the buildings system (and the envelope above all), aims to redesign the whole construction or some of its parts within an energetic framework. With reference to the seismic behaviour of building aggregates, the basic methodology that has been conceived for isolated masonry buildings through a survey form has represented the starting tool for the application of an appropriate quick evaluation form considered for the aggregated structural units of historical centres. Finally, the methodology employed is aimed at obtaining an Energy Performance Certificate for the structural units of examined masonry aggregates without neglecting their seismic behaviour, which has been assessed in terms of vulnerability and damage.