An architectural catalogue for the study of traditional building features from their seismic behaviour in 2016 Central Italy earthquake

The preservation of vernacular architecture is grounded on the study of those building techniques adopted in the past, when know-how and craftmanship (the rule-of-thumb for a well-arranged building) governed the spontaneous construction. The advent of new industrial materials and the progressive impoverishment of constructive skills caused the loss of traditional architectural features in favour of a standardized construction. In the framework of the actual debate about the reconstruction of earthquake damaged historical centres, traditional building techniques and materials may play an effective role, as an alternative to a purely aesthetic appreciation, in the conservation of vernacular architecture. This contribution deals with the features of vernacular architecture in the area hit by the 2016 Central Italy earthquake, taking advantage of systematic observations of the built heritage in its context. The appearance of a building was subdivided in ‘volume’, ‘surface’ and ‘components & materials’, and, per each theme, those architectural features which played a role in the seismic performance of a building were collected. This led to the proposal of a catalogue which relates geometric and morphological features to structural ones, as a function of the local construction traditions and the architectural appearance of the townscape. Structural interventions applied over time were also recognized, categorizing them in ‘spontaneous’, ‘standardized’ and ‘designed’. As in vernacular buildings architectural choices reflect on the structural behaviour, this catalogue and other similar ones are essential for actions (interventions or reconstruction) which are respectful of the built heritage and its values.