Damage to Roadway Infrastructure from 2016 Central Italy Earthquake Sequence

Abstract

The region of the central Apennines affected by the 2016 earthquake sequence has numerous towns, villages, and isolated dwellings connected by local secondary roads and a few state highways. The roadway network includes several bridges that are important to the economy of the region and play an important role in the post-earthquake resilience of local communities. Within this network, 12 bridges and a rockfall protection tunnel were inspected in coordination with local officials, with relatively cursory reconnaissance of most of the remainder of the network. All inspected reinforced concrete and steel–concrete composite bridges performed adequately. Two historic masonry bridges near Amatrice and Tufo suffered significant damage after the 24 August 2016 main shock, and collapsed after the 30 October 2016 event. Recovery strategies related to the bridge collapse near Amatrice, where two temporary bridges were built within 10 days from the first main shock in August, are discussed. An inspected rockfall protection tunnel experienced earthquake pounding effects.