Development of reconstruction plans for towns damaged by the 6th April 2009 Abruzzo earthquake

On April 6th 2009, at 3:32 a.m. local time, an earthquake struck the Abruzzo region, Central Italy, near the city of L’Aquila. It was of Richter magnitude (Ml) 5.8 and moment magnitude (Mw) 6.3. On the basis of Decree of the Delegate Commissioner for the Reconstruction (DCD n. 3/2010) [1], it has been established to produce, for some minor historic centres and towns struck by the earthquake, specific reconstruction plans. Those plans are intended as a management tool for planning and designing the repair and reconstruction interventions on buildings and for the execution of public works. The main aim of the plans is to ensure socio-economic reprise of the territory, promote the requalification of buildings, and facilitate the return of people in their houses after repairing the seismic-induced damage. Surveying and evaluating the conditions of the towns today, and before the earthquake, is the basis to develop the plans. Provisional and definitive interventions for reconstructions and for seismic vulnerability reduction are suggested and complemented with cost estimations, definition of involved subjects, definition of priorities and work-plans. Consistently with the aim of the plans, interventions are planned at an urban-scale. The work has been carried out on the basis of pilot-projects, developed for the towns of Castel del Monte, Castelvecchio Calvisio, S. Stefano di Sessanio and Villa Santa Lucia degli Abruzzi. The specific features of these towns are reflected in final proposals. On the basis of this experience, this paper presents the main steps of the general methodology adopted for developing the plans.