The Borbone's antiseismic system: Historical, constructive, and structural analysis

The Borbone antiseismic system, which was born following the earthquake that hit Calabria Ulteriore in 1783, destroying a large part of the built environment and causing more than 35,000 victims, is analyzed here in light of very different knowledge and disciplines. The comparison is between the analysis of historical sources, the profound recognition and detailed survey of the construction technique, the experimental tests on faithful reproductions, and the validation of the physical-mathematical models, typical tools of contemporary seismic culture. From this comparison of methods and disciplines, typical of History, Conservation and Structural Engineering, a deep knowledge of the technique and the implications of this construction system and a generic judgment of efficacy and modernity are obtained. In addition, detailed mathematical models, capable of reproducing the experimental tests, have been calibrated and validated, and these are the first step toward a coarse modeling of an entire building, as well as a further contribution to the modeling of other wood-framed masonry systems. This work also helps to combat the skepticism of those who consider historical construction systems too complex to be framed in modern safety and risk theory.