Abaco delle Murature della Regione Toscana

The knowledge of masonries' mechanical parameters is an essential requirement for reliable structural assessments on existing masonry buildings, which are a consistent part of the cultural heritage in Italy as in other main European countries. Unrealistic assumption of the mechanical parameters can lead to unreliable seismic safety coefficients even if refine modelling analyses are used for structural assessment. Italian current code, in Table C8A.2.1 (Circ. 617/2009), provides average values (minimum and maximum) of the mechanical characteristics for 11 masonry categories, which are typical of the Italian constructions. It is not always immediate to frame the masonries of the existing buildings into the categories defined in the Italian Code, 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 categories above defined. This paper describes the project "Abaco delle Murature" of the Tuscany Region, an online database that can be consulted and over time updated, 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. 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. The “Abaco delle Murature” application is an open source tool developed to support researchers and practitioners in defining the qualitative and mechanical characteristics of masonry types and its constituents