EQ-DIRECTION Procedure towards an Improved Urban Seismic Resilience: Application to the Pilot Case Study of Sanremo Municipality

Abstract

This paper discusses the critical importance of effective mitigation policies to enhance earthquake resilience in urban systems, especially in light of recent seismic events in Italy. The Italian Civil Protection Department (ICPD) has delineated specific Limit Conditions (LCs) for urban settlements, serving as benchmarks for targeted mitigation policies, and akin to Limit States for buildings in Codes. While the ICPD has already developed operational procedures for some LCs, concentrating on evaluating the structural operational efficiency of strategic functions during emergency management, only a conceptual outline exists for other LCs involving preparedness and recovery/reconstruction phases. To address this gap, this paper introduces the EQ-DIRECTION (EarthQuake Disaster-REsilient City acTIOn plan) procedure. This method aims to analyze and assess the “Limit Condition for Safeguarding the Existence of the Settlement” (referred to as SLC). The procedure entails identifying the “minimum urban system” required for effective recovery and evaluating the performance of this system in terms of structural damage and economic losses against the SLC requirement. The practical application of this methodology to a real-world case study in Sanremo municipality on the western coast of Liguria (Italy) demonstrates the feasibility and potential effectiveness of the procedure for earthquake resilience in urban planning and management.