L’Abaco delle Murature. Database di riferimento e struttura del sito

The knowledge of masonries’ mechanical parameters is an essential requirement for reliable structural assessments on existing masonry buildings. Unrealistic assumption of them can lead to unreliable seismic safety coefficients and reinforcement interventions even if refine modelling analyses are used for structural assessment. It is not always immediate to frame the masonries of the existing buildings into the categories defined in the scientific and technical literature, due to the heterogeneity and variety of the materials and to the distinct construction techniques. Moreover, in homogeneous territorial zones, it is common to find specific types of masonry which, linked to the local material and construction techniques, do not fit into any of the traditional categories. This paper describes the project Tuscany Masonry Database, an online database containing the results of destructive and non-destructive experimental tests carried out on masonry panels of buildings in the Tuscany Region, appropriately catalogued, reworked and georeferenced. This tool is developed to support researchers and practitioners in defining the qualitative and mechanical characteristics of masonry types and its constituents to be used in their structural analyses. The results of the in-situ experimental tests are supported by a qualitative description of the building, a complete qualitative description of the masonry and the evaluation of the Masonry Quality Index for the masonry type.