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What has changed in the concept of resilient/sustainable cities and human settlements with Covid-19? When we talk about "adequate housing and basic service" today, do we have in mind the same housing and services we were thinking about before the pandemic? Nowadays, what indicators do we need to develop and monitor sustainable urban policies? The paper seeks to answer these questions by focusing on some dimensions of Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11) linked to sustainability in the urban environment: accessibility to adequate housing and basic services (with reference to target 11.1, Affordable housing), land consumption and direct participation in urban planning (both dimensions in reference to target 11.3, Inclusive and Sustainable Urbanization). The objective of this paper is twofold: first, an updated picture of the indicators used to monitor target 11.1 and 11.3 to global, European and national level, in Italy is explored; second, assuming a field of analysis limited to a single European country (Italy), we identify some gaps in the existing monitoring according to sustainable issues emerging during the pandemic and scaling-up issues at urban and suburban level, proposing three potential pathways of innovation and implementation of the existing indicators framework. In this sense, the paper proposes a detailed state of the art of the measurement of the aforementioned targets, punctually investigating the concepts at the basis of the existing indicators, the methodologies used for the quantification of the indicators themselves and the different declinations according to the global, European and Italian national scale of reference, providing a complete synthesis framework useful and necessary to open a review of these issues. In line with the aim, the different pathways for the development and implementation of the new indicators are proposed contextually to the Piedmont region and, in particular, to the city of Turin and its metropolitan area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to consider the possibility of the adaptive reuse of former Italian penitentiary buildings as tourist accommodation. This paper is a practitioner viewpoint paper, therefore it is not based on any particular methodological approach. It describes the project launched by the Agenzia del Demanio of Italy (State Property Agency) for the transformation and redevelopment of public real estate; it analyzes some international and domestic cases of former prisons' being changed over to tourist accommodation facilities. The paper identifies three methods for adapting former penitentiaries to tourist purposes: Italy has been characterized mostly by the recovery of the islands hosting abandoned prisons as preserved natural areas, while less frequent is the changeover of former penitentiaries located in urban areas, or in historical and cultural sites. The paper seeks to highlight some possibilities of adaptive reuse of former prisons, which seem not to have been fully exploited in Italy. The project by Agenzia del Demanio might be the appropriate tool to this aim, especially if more specifically focused. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A very straightforward 3D CAD approach for the speedy evaluation of the seismic vulnerability of existing masonry towers is presented. The procedure requires only the detailed 3D geometric model of the structure and automatically calculates the collapse acceleration on a user defined failure mechanism. In this paper, few pre-assigned mechanisms are tested, as for instance vertical splitting, simple overturning at the base, rocking with inclined yield lines and combined rocking and vertical splitting. The restriction of the possible tower failure within such a few mechanisms grounds on previous numerical research in the field and post-earthquake surveys experience. In any case, any user can define his own mechanisms according to the specificity of the case-study under consideration, directly shaping distinct volumes inside the CAD software. The procedure is automatized and the direct application of the principle of virtual works-assuming that masonry behaves as a no-tension material-allows the immediate evaluation of the horizontal acceleration at collapse. The mechanism associated to the minimum acceleration, in agreement with the kinematic theorem of limit analysis, is that most probably would occur in reality during a seismic event. The approach allows a straightforward evaluation of the seismic vulnerability of a tower and can be used even by practitioners not familiar with advanced FE computations and limit analysis concepts, so adapting well to the heterogeneous community involved in cultural heritage preservation. The automatized procedure is applied in this paper to a historical tower located in central Italy, to show the capabilities of the approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we want to remember Alfredo Dupasquier through his scientific contributions and his important role in setting up antimatter laboratories in Italy and abroad. We also want to remember Alfredo for his distinguished personal qualities; he was a perfect combination of a wise and generous man. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a case study is reported referring to an investigation carried out to evaluate the radioactivity content, and thus the radiological health risk for humans related to external exposure, in construction materials of the Giudecca urban section (Bova, Reggio Calabria, Italy). The analysis of natural radionuclides contents was performed through X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry measurements and the massic concentration (in µg/g) of U, Th, and K was then converted into activity concentration according to Dragovic's formula. The absorbed γ-dose rate and the Annual Effective Dose Equivalent (AEDE) outdoor radiological hazard indices were then assessed. The results obtained from this case study can be used as a baseline for future investigations concerning a more complete mapping of the radioactivity levels in the investigated cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With three parameters a new distribution has been introduced this paper named [0, 1] Truncated Inverse Weibull exponential distribution ([0, 1] TIWE). The properties of [0, 1] TIWE were established like pdf expansion, quantile function, moments, MGF, and entropy. The distribution parameters were estimated by using (MLE) maximum likelihood method. We analyze one real data set, and it represents 59-day COVID-19 mortality rates in Italy from 27 /2/2020 to 27 /4/ 2020 to show the versatility of the proposed distribution for modelling lifetime data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transformations that have taken place in the social and productive structures of economically advanced countries are to be correlated to a new structure of urban networks and territorial relations, from which it results that a vast series of activities and functions are to be considered no longer subject to localization constraints and thresholds dimensional. From this emerges a wider territorial participation in the development process, which ends up affecting the regional articulation, giving rise to the formation of reticular spatial structures [1]. It comes out the idea of sustainable mobility was than born, which was based on giving a greater role to public transport, pedestrian and bicycle movements, which are much more efficient, thanks to which you can in turn reduce time waste, pollutant emissions and increase safety at urban areas without limiting mobility. In light of these aspects, in this paper we highlight, in parallel, what has been achieved with a view to sustainability in two realities: Brindisi, a city in southern Italy, and Cracow, a Polish city. They are two realities that highlight what has been done and what are the indications coming from the stakeholders. It is possible to move in this direction for future planning and for the adoption of sustainable mobility plans adhering to territorial needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article raises the question whether there is in fact a specific field within civil engineering that may be connected to the impact of Covid-19, namely radon exposure in interior spaces in certain parts of the world. Radon exposure is particularly high in regions that have seen high mortality rates related to SARS-CoV-2. Examples of these include the Bergamo region in Italy and the Erz Mountains, the Fichtel Mountains or the Bavarian Forest in south-eastern Germany. But is there actually a correlation, or is this merely a coincidence? Is there in fact a causality? If so, constructional measures to protect against the decay products of radon in interior spaces would gain a new significance that goes beyond the realms of current knowledge. This article cannot provide a definitive answer to these questions due to the current patchiness of data in Germany. Nevertheless, this paper will use the data available to demonstrate that there is evidence of a possible correlation or causality between the two, and that this merits further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

64Cu is a cyclotron-produced radionuclide suitable for positron emission tomography (PET) and internal radiotherapy. We have been focused on 64Cu radioisotope due to its favorable nuclear characteristics (β+ emission, 18% and β− emission, 39%). Moreover, the electron capture (43%) implies Auger electron emission with high linear energy transfer in the targeted cells. Also, the 12.7 hours half-life allows a good uptake and distribution of the radiopharmaceuticals to obtain qualitative images with high contrast. The production of no-carrier-added 64Cu via the 64Ni(p,n)64Cu nuclear reaction using a variable energy cyclotron (TR-19, ACSI, Canada) was studied in our work involving the implementation of a fully automated solid target irradiation and processing system. In this paper we report the validation of the process for the automated production and purification of 64Cu produced in a variable energy (14-19 MeV) cyclotron, using a commercially available automated solid target system (ALCEO, Comecer S.p.A, Italy), comprising modules for electrodeposition, pneumatic transfer, irradiation unit, dissolving and purification. The obtained 64CuCl2 solution complies with the requirements of a radiopharmaceutical for medical applications. The process is to be translated for production of other copper radioisotopes of medical interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Italy is a high seismic risk country. Since 1900 more than 30 earthquakes with magnitude greater than Mw=5.8 occurred, and the last one is the Central Italy seismic sequence. The first shock aroused in the 24th August (Mw=6.2) followed by another stronger quake in the 30th October (Mw=6.5). It heavily hit the regions of Marche, Umbria, and Abruzzo causing many deaths, injuries and extensive damages on the cultural heritage. This paper analyses the church of San Francesco in Amadola, located in the Marche region that has been considered condemned for the severe damages reported after these earthquakes. The church is globally analyzed by the application of nonlinear static analysis on a Finite Element Model where the nonlinearity of masonry is taking into account with a proper constitutive law. The study wants to prove how global analysis combined by the local analysis can reproduce the behavior of this structure during a quake, showing that it can repeat the real damages produced by earthquakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper has been reported the Non-Smooth Contact Dynamics method (NSCD) used for the damage evaluation of the multiple leaf masonry walls of the medieval fortress of Arquata del Tronto, strongly affected by the last Centre Italy earthquakes of August and October 2016. Pursuing this approach, a system of rigid blocks has been used for the assembly of the masonry structure. By means of contacts between blocks, which are governed by the Signorini's impenetrability condition and by dry-friction Coulomb's law, the building exhibits discontinuous dynamics. Finally, the NSCD method has proved to be an effective instrument for investigating the dynamical behavior of the masonry structures under the ground seismic accelerations. Indeed, several possible failure mechanisms have been confirmed through the numerical results, which have given a deep insight into the seismic vulnerability of this damaged medieval fortress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An outbreak of a unique coronavirus disease (i.e., COVID-19) has been recorded in Wuhan, China considering the fact that overdue December 2019, which ultimately has become a deadly disease across the world. Although COVID-19 is an acutely dealt with disease, it may additionally be deadly with a hazard of fatality of 4.03% in China and the best of 13.04Algeria and 12.67% in Italy (as of eighth April 2020). The onset of significant contamination may also bring about dying on account of vast alveolar harm and innovative breathing failure. Although laboratory trying out, e.g., the usage of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), is the golden widespread for scientific prognosis, the checks may also produce fake negatives. Moreover, below the pandemic situation, a scarcity of RTPCR trying outsources may additionally put off the subsequent scientific choice and treatment. Under such circumstances, there are many methods for prognosis and analysis of COVID-19 patients. In this survey paper, various deep learning techniques for detection of COVID-19 are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outcomes of an empirical study carried out at the three Italian administrative levels tell us that, in a relevant number of cases, the geometry of their boundary is a multipolygon. This finding imposes to be cautious when the computation of the centroid of such administrative units is required in order to accomplish quality of life studies. The paper proposes a way to manage this tricky situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of transport technologies and systems, taking into account individual and/or shared mobility systems, should involve not only the characteristics of the places where it develops, but also the characteristics of road users. The increase in transport supply makes it easier to achieve job opportunities and thus increases the potential for wealth. The development of different forms of mobility also offers better access to areas, such as education centers, and limits the disparity between road users of different age groups and gender. The presence of children and income characteristics are factors that can influence women's mobility choice such as using public transport, owned/shared micro mobility, or e-bikes. The study in this paper defines in a first phase some considerations on gender equality through describing some case studies from the South of the world. A questionnaire, including 1150 women over 18 years old in the use of the different modes of transport in the region of Sicily in southern Italy, was carried out. The results highlight the critical issues that often lead to different perceptions of safety on board or gender equality considering both the passenger's and the driver's point of view. The limits of the research are related to the analyzed sample. The work shows a first step of investigation aimed at future research actions to reduce gender inequalities, providing the basis for the definition of ad hoc strategies by local authorities and dedicated vouchers or fares by operators of transport services for women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of collisions around the Coulomb barrier induced by halo and/or weakly bound nuclei has been the object of many publications in the last years, since the peculiar structure of such nuclei can strongly affect the reaction dynamics. In this paper we will summarize some results on the above topic obtained by our group at INFN-LNS Catania. Results concerning the study of elastic scattering and different reaction mechanisms in collisions induced by the halo nuclei 11Be and 6He and by the weakly bound stable nuclei 6,7Li on a 64Zn target, at energies around the Coulomb barrier, will be presented. The conclusions of our studies will be compared with the ones of other authors, in order to show if clear systematic conclusions can be drawn from the different papers published in the literature so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on a supply network, that deals with wine production, that is typical of Southern Italy. Such a phenomenon is analyzed by differential equations, that model goods on arcs and queues for the exceeding parts. Various numerical schemes are proposed for simulations. A strategy of Situation Awareness allows understanding a suitable choice of the input flows to the supply network in consideration. The obtained results indicate that a Situation Awareness approach permits to find compromises for the modulation of production queues and the optimization of the overall system characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a simple and fast 3D CAD approach to estimate the seismic vulnerability of existing masonry toweers is presented. The procedure consists in a 3D detailed geometric model of the tower made in CAD, where the structure is obtained by means of the assemblage of different 3D volumes having complex shape. The choice of the different volumes is not only related to the need of distinguishing between different materials/weights/loads, but is primarily made to identify specific failure mechanisms activating at the interfaces between contiguous volumes. The collapse acceleration is then automatically evaluated applying the kinematic theorem of limit analysis for no tension materials on the pre-assigned failure mechanism chosen in the pre-procession phase. Some few mechanisms are tested in the paper, considering those occurring most frequently in past seismic events, as for instance vertical splitting, simple overturning at the base, rocking with inclined yield lines and combined rocking and vertical splitting. The inclusion of different mechanisms is very straightforward, simply requiring an updating of the number and shape of the volumes directly in the CAD software by means of the cutting plane command. The mechanism associated to the minimum acceleration, in agreement with the kinematic theorem of limit analysis, is that activating most probably in reality during a seismic event. The automatized procedure is fast and straightforward, being applicable also by all those technicians not familiar with Limit Analysis concepts. Two examples of technical relevance on two historical masonry towers in Italy are discussed to show the capabilities of the approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with a case of seismic isolation carried out in Campania (Italy), referring to the construction of a house building. The concerned case is a three-storey reinforced concrete frame building, in which the isolation system has been applied between the basement top and the first floor deck. The paper reports the main steps of this work, starting from the design, carried out according to the latest Italian seismic code, going throughout the construction stage, up to the extensive on-site testing program performed to evaluate the dynamic response of the building. Relevant technological solutions are illustrated and discussed. Both theoretical calculation and experimental measurements demonstrate the effectiveness of the solution adopted, not only from the technical point of view, but also in an economic perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bussana Vecchia has been declared of important historical-cultural interest according to the laws D.Lgs.490/1999 and DDG made by the Ministry of Cultural Goods in date 11/12/2000, that has registered the historic core on the State property. The design proposals individuated in the research summarized in this paper, constitute a set of interventions aimed at favouring the liveability improvement and revitalizing of the fabric of the city, in order to return enjoyable spaces and structures for social and cultural activities to the context. In this paper a significant experience is related, through which it has been possible to test the methodology concerning the seismic damage scenarios assessment, aimed at the prevention in the usual procedures of governance (dedicated policies and instruments) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims at proposing some considerations about some recent experiences of research carried out on the theme of earthquake risk mitigation and combining policies and actions of mitigation with urban development strategies. The objective was to go beyond the classical methodological approach aiming at defining a “technical” evaluation of the earthquake risk through a procedure which can correlate the three “components” of danger, exposure and vulnerability. These researches experiment, in terms of methodology and application, with a new category of interpretation and strategy: the so-called Struttura Urbana Minima (Minimum urban structure). Actually, the introduction of the Struttura Urbana Minima establishes a different approach towards the theme of safety in the field of earthquake risk, since it leads to a wider viewpoint, combining the building aspect of the issue with the purely urban one, involving not only town planning, but also social and managerial implications. In this sense the constituent logic of these researches is strengthened by two fundamental issues: - The social awareness of earthquake; - The inclusion of mitigation policies in the ordinary strategies for town and territory management. Three main aspects of the first point, that is of the “social awareness of earthquake”, characterize this issue and demand to be considered within a prevention policy: - The central role of the risk as a social production, - The central role of the local community consent, - The central role of the local community capability to plan Therefore, consent, considered not only as acceptance, but above all as participation in the elaboration and implementation of choices, plays a crucial role in the wider issue of prevention policies. As far as the second point is concerned, the inclusion of preventive mitigation policies in ordinary strategies for the town and territory management demands the identification of criteria of choice and priorities of intervention and, as a consequence, the opportunity to promote an approach to the theme of mitigation policies realized through strategic principles and systemic logics able to shift the problem from the building to the town. The critical aspects of this theme are tied to three main issues: - The sharing of the way of interpreting town planning, - The integration of multiple objectives in one intervention tool, - The measures which can be adopted for an effective prevention policy. The above-mentioned elements have inspired these researches experimented on Calabrian towns. In particular, in this paper the experience carried out on Reggio Calabria is proposed. Its cultural roots derive from the principles and criteria experimented in small Calabrian towns, but it modifies them according to the complexity of the urban settlement, introducing also some experimental concepts and methodological approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A research activity in the Institute for Plasma Science and Technology of National Research Council (ISTP-CNR, Italy, former IFP-CNR) and in L.T. Calcoli (LTC, Italy) is aimed at the design and construction of calorimetric loads for absorption and measurement of high power millimeter-waves in the electron cyclotron frequency range. Recently, two CW 170 GHz loads, one for the European ITER gyrotron test facility and the other for the FALCON test- bed, have been installed at the Swiss Plasma Center (SPC, Switzerland). One short pulse (2 s) load for 1 MW, designed and optimised to operate at two different frequencies (84 GHz and 126 GHz), was provided for testing and conditioning two new dual-frequency gyrotrons for the Tokamak à Configuration Variable (TCV, Switzerland). Two additional CW loads, designed for absorbing powers higher than 1 MW, have been delivered to the National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST, Japan) and exploited for the acceptance tests and the conditioning of the prototype of the Japanese ITER gyrotron. The present status and the most recent experimental results achieved in the framework of this development activity are reported in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quick urbanization increment causes a few difficult problems, such as social assessment, more energy demands, and pollution increase. A positive factor for a city is the concentration of energy requests. On the other hand, urbanization trend is going to fragmentation of settlements, with a consequent expansion of the energy distribution networks but also an increase of the energy wasted. Each building needs some of the total energy distributed in the city. Energy needs can be grouped into four essential parameters: construction, heating, electricity, and water. How were these four parameters satisfied in the XIX century, before the industrial revolution? In those days’ energy requirement wasn’t so high and could be supplied with basic energy production technology. The knowledge of appropriate building technology (project), the use of (energy saving) materials, with a low and punctual heating system (fireplace, stove) or passive refreshment all intervened in this process. These requirements were achieved in each country using building plans studied to face different weather conditions with different architectural typology and with human effort and time (work-energy). This paper analyses an energy balance in a single typical building in the center of Italy, describing the energy flow that will show the logical and technical solution for “energy-saving”. Old buildings (before the introduction of “building-plant”) were always designed and built with an energy-saving concern. This article wants to propose the study of a typical building in which are used only low-energy systems to meet all the comfort requirements, to demonstrate that it is not necessary to use high-energy technology. This is how architecture urbanization studies and implementation can be used to reduce high-energy production needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the framework of mitigation actions aimed at counteracting the carbon emissions from the electricity generation sector, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is increasingly being recognized as a viable and practical solution, especially in the short term. Usually, the convenience of a CCS project on a specific technology of power generation plant is established by comparing each investment with and without CCS from a technical and economic point of view. The evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of an investment, however, cannot be limited to the sole quantitative analysis, rather should also embrace the evaluation of qualitative factors, including political and societal aspects. This is all the more evident when the Italian situation is taking into consideration. Within this context, this paper firstly conducts a techno-economic assessment of CCS projects in Italian power plants and, subsequently, proposes a systematic evaluation of those factors influencing CCS investments in Italy. To this end, a SWOT analysis is conducted to emphasize the Strengths, the Weaknesses as well as the Opportunities and Threats of CCS projects, thus trying to propose solutions and countermeasures for the success of such investment decisions in Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a need to find a solution to solve the problem of increasing agricultural practices which can lower the pressure on soil. Application of compost or biochar to the soil is proved to be a suitable solution to counteract this problem. Mixed application of these two products is even more sustainable environmental solution due to its effectiveness in the long-term carbon preservation. The biochar can be produced through gasification of municipal waste as a method for renewable energy production. This makes a new market for the unused biomass which is currently incinerated or landfilled. This paper summarizes the technical and economic aspect of system innovation toward utilizing organic and green waste for composting and energy production via gasification and application of the products (compost and biochar) for soil amendment, considering the case of Ravenna city in Italy. The municipal statistic data on waste management were used for this purpose. Gasification experiment of green waste for electricity production was performed in an open-top gasifier. The obtained results showed that the available waste in Ravenna could be used for production of large portion of energy consumption and at the same time provide biochar and compost mixture to be used in 700 hectare/y of the agricultural land in Ravenna. Moreover, the available methods and conditions in literature for mixing of biochar and compost were reviewed. The related European directives were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth and vast usage in renewable energy implies better hourly and daily planning for reliable and constant renewable energy distribution. In this sense, the forecast of renewable energy becomes more and more important. In this work, we used the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF) to forecast solar radiation. We run two forecast simulations with WRF and WRF-Solar model. Models have been running on daily basis to forecast solar radiation up to 48h with hourly outputs. In this paper we elaborated one summer month of 2017 with both model forecasts compared with ground measured data for solar irradiance at one location in Italy (lat 42°02.5' North; lon 12°18.4' East). Both models represents in good manner global irradiance with RMSE for a selected maximum of a daily range of about 13% while direct (25%) and diffuse (40%) solar radiation obtained by models differ from measured values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of Organic Ranking Cycle (ORC) systems to produce electrical energy in Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plants has been significantly increasing over the recent years, mainly for small size plants [1-2]. The project ORC-PLUS, in the frame of Horizon2020, aims to deepen this aspect for an existing CSP plant located in a desert area at Ben Guerir in Morocco and using linear Fresnel collectors as well as thermal oil as heat transfer fluid (HTF). This plant foresees mainly two different operative modes: during daytime with sufficient Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system is directly coupled to a 7 loops solar field; after sunset the ORC is fed by a thermal storage coupled to an additional solar field consisting of 3 loops. In the same context the performances of a stratified molten salt as thermal energy storage (TES) are deepened at ENEA CR Casaccia in Italy. Aim of this paper is the analysis of the power production of the 1 MWe ORC system present in the plant, under different operating conditions using a proper computing model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents some FE results regarding the behavior under horizontal loads of eight existing masonry towers located in the North-East of Italy. The towers, albeit unique for geometric and architectural features, show some affinities which justify a comparative analysis, as for instance the location and the similar masonry material. Their structural behavior under horizontal loads is therefore influenced by geometrical issues, such as slenderness, walls thickness, perforations, irregularities, presence of internal vaults, etc., all features which may be responsible for a peculiar output. The geometry of the towers is deduced from both existing available documentation and in-situ surveys. On the basis of such geometrical data, a detailed 3D realistic mesh is conceived, with a point by point characterization of each single geometric element. The FE models are analysed under seismic loads acting along geometric axes of the plan section, both under non-linear static (pushover) and non-linear dynamic excitation assumptions. A damage-plasticity material model exhibiting softening in both tension and compression, already available in the commercial code Abaqus, is used for masonry. Pushover analyses are performed with both G1 and G2 horizontal loads distribution, according to Italian code requirements, along X+/- and Y+/- directions. Non-linear dynamic analyses are performed along both X and Y directions with a real accelerogram scaled to different peak ground accelerations. Some few results are presented in this paper. It is found that the results obtained with pushover analyses reasonably well fit expensive non-linear dynamic simulations, with a slightly less conservative trend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent earthquakes have shown the high vulnerability of industrial buildings due to their high exposure. Therefore, this structural typology must be protected in a careful way from seismic events through proper retrofitting interventions. In the paper the application of steel bracings as retrofitting system of an industrial building case study, located in Italy and subjected to the 2012 Emilia-Romagna earthquake, has been done. The analysis results have shown how the inserted bracings are able to improve the structural behaviour under ultimate and serviceability limit conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an update on women and physics in Italy over the past five years. The numbers of women with physics degrees and the statistics on women with careers in universities or in the main Italian research institutions (National Institute for Nuclear Physics, National Institute of Astrophysics, and National Research Council) are given. Also, results are reported from European projects, such as Transforming Organisational Culture for Gender Equality in Research and Innovation and Gender Equality Network in the European Research Area in which Italy is involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the world women are underrepresented in physics and related career fields. This can be explained by the fact that women are not given access to various resources and opportunities. Even in developed countries such as Italy, Spain, and China, women have fewer resources and opportunities than men. The situation is worse in less developed countries and especially in African countries where gender consideration remains a major matter. The overall attitude tends to underestimate women in strategic careers and positions. It is sad that very few women are represented in science and technology. Furthermore, the percentage of women in science, especially in physics, can be viewed as meaningless compared to men in our country. Previous studies have shown that in Cameroon, the percentage of women in physics drops sharply at the postgraduate level and, consequently for physics careers, for instance, in the teaching sector. It is worth noting that in Cameroon, women have made little progress in physics in the last few years. It is still challenging to overcome the barriers that hinder their success in physics. In this paper, the statistics of women enrolled in physics and women teaching physics in Cameroonian universities and their career paths are presented and discussed. Some recommendations are made in order to improve and encourage women in physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainfall data are the main input of hydrological and flood forecasting models and as such their precision is crucial. Our knowledge on precipitation, however, relies mainly on rain gauge networks, which have been declining in the past decades. In the last 20 years many satellite precipitation estimates have been developed, with different temporal and spatial resolution and with a quasi-global coverage. Thanks to their wide availability they can be a valid alternative to rain gauge observations in hydrologic applications. Although satellite performances have been tested in the last years, our knowledge on their potentialities is still incomplete. In this paper we test the skills in detecting heavy rainfall events of the Climate Prediction Center MORPHing (CMORPH) precipitation estimates over a medium-sized catchment in central Italy. We use Normalized Standard Error (NSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and a scatter plot comparison to test CMORPH on a dataset of 75 severe rainfall events. Our preliminary results show that in 63% of the cases the satellite product underestimates the total rainfall depth occurred during an event and no clear trend emerged for MAE and NSE. Each point represents a precipitation event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since ever the availability of water affects the health of natural ecosystems and consequently several human activities (i.e. drinking water supply, crop production, electricity production and recreation, among the other). Undoubtly, the concept of water availability is closely related to that of the broad term "drought". The latter is a complex phenomenon, for which no universal definition exist. Since numerous variables are attributable to its understanding and as many impacts are traceable to its effects, it is generally accepted that its definition depends on the objective of the study itself. Our study aims to estimate, through a straightforward method, the inter-seasonal variations of the minimum flow discharges of the main karst aquifers of the Latium-Abruzzi carbonate ridge in Central Italy. Considering that, in this paper we will refer to drought, as hydrological drought, that is, as a lack of water in hydrological systems: the occurrence of minimum flow discharge in rivers, below-normal levels in lakes and aquifers. Since the time of the ancient Romans, the karst system of springs of the Apennine hydrostructures (in Central Italy) have been the main source of drinking water supply for the city of Rome and the surrounding areas, satisfying nowadays the needs of over 4 million inhabitants. During the last 100 years, ACEA AT02, the local water agency (i.e. Corporation) collects the legacy of the ancient Romans, managing about 15,000 km of water distribution network deployed over an area of 5,400 km2. In this context, ACEA AT02 in order to plan a sustainable water resource exploitation here proposes the application of a coupled model (i.e. precipitation-discharge) aiming to the evaluation of the water resources status in the area. The proposed model is based on an existing and robust method (broadly tested in Italy) that uses as input the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) and series of monthly spring discharge values for the estimation of the minimum annual spring discharge. For the calculation of SPI, is essential the availability of long time series of undisturbed, good quality precipitation data. We use monthly gridded precipitation data specifically developed for drought monitoring. Although, the proposed methodology can be considered simple, we retain that it represents a robust decision-makers oriented tool for the identification of the trigger factors for an early detection of potential drought events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the proposed paper is the discussion of a strategy of seismic retrofitting which exploits the technique of the Tuned Mass Damper (TMD). The Tuned Mass Damper is an additional mass, usually located at the top of a building with the scope of reducing the seismic response. This technique is usually applied to tall buildings under dynamic actions manly due to wind. In the context of the built heritage, the idea is to realize an additional mass on the top of an existing building as a new storey or a portion of it, located on seismic isolators characterized by a fixed damping. This idea has already been applied successfully in Italy on some existing buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates about the seismic vulnerability and risk of fifteen masonry churches located in the historical centre of Naples. The used analysis method is derived from a procedure already implemented by the University of Basilicata on the churches of Matera. In order to evaluate for the study area the seismic vulnerability and hazard indexes of selected churches, the use of appropriate technical survey forms is done. Data obtained from applying the employed procedure allow for both plotting of vulnerability maps and providing seismic risk indicators of all churches. The comparison among the indexes achieved allows for the evaluation of the health state of inspected churches so to program a priority scale in performing future retrofitting interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speckle interferometry measurements of binary stars have been regularly obtained with PISCO at the 1-meter Zeiss telescope of the I.N.A.F. - Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera (Merate, Italy) since the end of 2003. We present here some recent results and some projects for extending and improving the scientific reach of our program. In particular, we plan to acquire more efficient detectors and install PISCO on a computer-controlled telescope in a better site belonging to Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur (OCA, Caussols, France). In the future, we would like to be able to operate remotely PISCO, its detector and the telescope. Finally we present PISCO2, the new speckle camera of our group that has been built for the OCA 76-cm refractor.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PISCO project being carried out at I.N.A.F. - Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera (Merate, Italy) since 2003 is described. The aims of the project are outlined and results of work carried out so far are given. Prospects of extending and improving the scientific reach of the project using more efficient detectors on bigger telescopes are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neutral Beam Test Facility (NBTF), planned to be constructed in Padua (Italy), will constitute the prototype of the two Neutral Beam Injectors (NBI), which will be installed in the ITER plant (Cadarache-France). The NBTF is composed of a 1 MV accelerator that can produce a 40 A deuteron pulsed neutral beam particles. The necessary vacuum needed in the accelerator is achieved by two large cryopumps, designed by FZK-Karlsruhe, with radiation shields cooled between 65 K and 90 K and with cryopanels cooled by 4 bar supercritical helium (ScHe) between 4.5 K and 6.5 K. A new cryoplant facility will be installed with two large helium refrigerators: a Shield Refrigerator (SR), whose cooling capacity is up to 30 kW between 65 K and 90 K, and a helium Main Refrigerator (MR), whose equivalent cooling capacity is up to 800 W at 4.5 K. The cooling of the cryopanels is obtained with two (ScHe) 30 g/s pumps (one redundant), working in a closed cycle around 4 bar producing a pressure head of 100 mbar. Two heat exchangers are immersed in a buffer dewar connected to the MR. The MR and SR different operation modes are described in the paper, as well as the new cryoplant installation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After 1908 Messina and Reggio Calabria earthquake the Italian scientific community produced a considerable effort, also as a consequence of two competitions. In both contests a Piedmont engineer, Arturo Danusso, prevailed. In this paper emphasis will be put on the suggested building layout and construction details, which are far ahead of their time. Moreover, the dynamic analysis of a linear elastic undamped single- and two-degree-of freedom system, proposed by Danusso and elsewhere already discussed, will be briefly mentioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes technical and functional surveys on COM buildings (Mixed Operative Centre). This activity started since 2005, with the contribution of both Italian Civil Protection Department and the Regions involved. The project aims to evaluate the efficiency of COM buildings, checking not only structural, architectonic and functional characteristics but also paying attention to surrounding real estate vulnerability, road network, railways, harbours, airports, area morphological and hydro-geological characteristics, hazardous activities, etc. The first survey was performed in eastern Sicily, before the European Civil Protection Exercise “EUROSOT 2005”. Then, since 2006, a new survey campaign started in Abruzzo, Molise, Calabria and Puglia Regions. The more important issue of the activity was the vulnerability assessment. So this paper deals with a more refined vulnerability evaluation technique by means of the SAVE methodology, developed in the 1st task of SAVE project within the GNDT-DPC programme 2000–2002 (Zuccaro, 2005); the SAVE methodology has been already successfully employed in previous studies (i.e. school buildings intervention programme at national scale; list of strategic public buildings in Campania, Sicilia and Basilicata). In this paper, data elaborated by SAVE methodology are compared with expert evaluations derived from the direct inspections on COM buildings. This represents a useful exercise for the improvement either of the survey forms or of the methodology for the quick assessment of the vulnerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the world there are hundreds of historic monuments and structures considered to be invaluable and irreplaceable. They are symbols of cultural identity and a means of educating people about history. Preservation of historic monuments and structures is therefore an important part of safeguarding these cultural heritage sites so that they retain their value for future generations. This report discusses a procedure for the investigation of seismic hazards in existing buildings and possible steps that can be taken to avoid damage caused by these hazards. The Augusta Airship Hangar located in Sicily, will be used as a case study however the topics addressed in this paper can be applied to other structures of historic value around the world. First state-of-the-art scanning procedures were used to create scale digital models that were imported into a structural analysis program. Within this program dynamic analyses were performed on the model based on actual ground motions taken close to the site. This data was used to determine the period and mode shapes of the structure. Then a nonlinear analysis, including a static pushover analysis, was implemented on a two-dimensional model of the structural frame. From this analysis the failure mechanisms of the structure were revealed with relation to an allowable roof displacement. The structural integrity of the structure was evaluated based on pre-defined performance goals. Finally multiple suggestions were made how the Augusta Airship Hangar might be repaired and strengthened so that this structure will not be destroyed should an earthquake occur. The results of our study show that historic structures, despite their age, can still be strong and ductile. Also there are a multitude of effective preservation and retrofit techniques that can be used to strengthen these historic structures, should an earthquake occur. Through this study, the Augusta Airship Hangar has proven to be not only a historic symbol for Sicily but also can be used as an example for the rehabilitation of other historic structures. The techniques and processes discussed in this paper can be applied to other historic reinforced concrete structures and can be expanded upon in future investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Campania Region has set and performed a peculiar procedure in the field of seismic risk reduction. Great attention has been paid to public strategic buildings such as town halls, civil protection buildings and schools. The Ordinance 3274 promulgate in the 2004 by the Italian central authority obliged the owners of strategic buildings to perform seismic analyses within 2008 in order to check the safety of the structures and the adequacy to the use. In the procedure the Campania region, instead of the local authorities, ensure the complete drafting of seismic checks through financial resources of the Italian Government. A regional scientific technical committee has been constituted, composed of scientific experts, academics in seismic engineering. The committee has drawn up guidelines for the processing of seismic analyses. At the same time, the Region has issued a public competition to select technical seismic engineering experts to appoint seismic analysis in accordance with guidelines. The scientific committee has the option of requiring additional documents and studies in order to approve the safety checks elaborated. The Committee is supported by a technical and administrative secretariat composed of a group of expert in seismic engineering. At the moment several seismic safety checks have been completed. The results will be presented in this paper. Moreover, the policy to mitigate the seismic risk, set by Campania region, was to spend the most of the financial resources available on structural strengthening of public strategic buildings rather than in safety checks. A first set of buildings of which the response under seismic action was already known by data and studies of vulnerability previously realised, were selected for immediate retrofitting designs. Secondly, an other set of buildings were identified for structural strengthening. These were selected by using the criteria specified in the Guide Line prepared by the Scientific Committee and based on data obtained by the first set of safety checks. The strengthening philosophy adopt in the projects will be described in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The project DEMETER (DEMonstration of Earth observation Technologies in Routine irrigation advisory services; http://www.demeter-ec.net) has been financed by the U.E. within the V Framework Program and it is dedicated to the development of techniques for using space remote sensing data (Earth Observation, EO data) for improving water management in agriculture. The specific object of the project is the setting-up of a pre-operative prototype which integrates satellite data and information-technology to improve the performance of irrigation advisory services (IAS) at both district and farm levels. The system has been implemented in three pilot zones (in Spain, Portugal and Italy). This paper provides the experience for the Italian pilot zone and shows the results of the operative demonstration campaign during the 2005 irrigation season. The practicality of receiving and processing space remote sensing data in near-real-time, the irrigation performance improvements due the system adopted and feedbacks from farmers are reported. © 2006 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with modelling and analysis of architectural heritage through the discussion of an illustrative case study: the Medieval Sanctuary of Sant'Agostino (Offida, Italy). Using the finite element technique, a 3D numerical model of the sanctuary is built, and then used to identify the main sources of the damages. The work shows that advanced numerical analyses could offer significant information for the understanding of the causes of existing damage and, more generally, on the seismic vulnerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic behaviour and the seismic vulnerability of different masonry "Apennine Churches", dramatically damaged by the last shocks sequence of 2016 that occurred in Central Italy, have been studied in this paper by means of advanced 3D numerical analyses with the Discrete Element Method (DEM). Thus, a discontinuous approach has been used to assess the dynamic properties and the vulnerability of the masonry structure, through large deformations regulated by the Signorini's law, concerning the impenetrability between the rigid bodies, and by the Coulomb's law, regarding the dry-friction model. The major purpose of this study is to highlight that relevant data on the real structural behaviour of historical masonry can be provided through advanced numerical analyses. The comparison between the results of the numerical simulation and the survey of the existing crack pattern of the churches permitted to validate the used approach. Finally, from the results and conclusions of these cases study, it is possible to affirm that the used methodology can be applied to a wide variety of historical masonry structure in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erosion is an exogenous phenomenon, antagonistic to the constructive forces both of an endogenous nature (i.e. orogeny) and of a biological nature (i.e. coral reef), leading to the dismantling of the earth's surface and filling, with the clastic material produced, sedimentary basins and depressions in order to level differences in altitude [1]. It is estimated that, in Europe, 25 million hectares of soil are subject to "accelerated erosion processes" [2] and that, in several areas, the magnitude of soil loss is around a few tens of tons per year. Approximately 77% of Italy is at risk of accelerated erosion [3], also due to the lack of conservative measures for soil (hydraulic-agrarian measures, drainage, grassing, etc.). The phenomenon takes on particular importance in cultivated areas, where drastic changes have been imposed in soil use and sometimes, instead of natural and stable land cover, bare soil is subject to erosive agents. In this paper, the erosivity density approach introduced in Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation 2 (RUSLE2 [4]), will be used to develop monthly erosivity maps for the Lazio region (in central Italy). This was achieved through a full investigation carried out on the monthly (Pmd), daily (P24h) and sub-daily (15-minute time-scale, P15) precipitation amounts available from rain gauges deployed across the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A proper study of high intensity precipitation allows a reduction of the uncertainty in the estimation of the return period of the extreme rainfall, useful for hydraulic works design and for the management of hydrological risk. Because of the intrinsic uncertainty of the rainfall phenomena, it is necessary to adopt a probabilistic approach based on the definition of a theoretical probability distribution that can adequately describes observed data. Nevertheless, a recurring problem, concerns the presence of missing values and the discontinuity of the rainfall recorded data. Therefore, it is important to evaluate when an empirical sample can be considered reliable for an objective estimation of the return period associated to an extreme event. In this paper we used observation of annual maxima rainfall to investigate the changes in the intensity- duration-frequency (IDF) curves when varying the considered registration period length. Short duration and high intensity rainfall data recorded by eight rain gauges in Lazio region (central Italy) for the period between 1928 to 2017 are available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims at studying the effects induced by the seismic sequence occurred in 2016 in the Central Italy. The mainshock recorded, which had a moment magnitude of 6.0, caused substantial damages to several historical centers of different Italian regions. In the paper, the attention is focused on the damage scenario of an urban sector within the old town of Amatrice. Firstly, the Risk-UE method has been applied to characterize the physical vulnerability of the construction types detected there. Finally, a probabilistic scenario analysis has been performed to estimate the damages of the examined sector deriving from the occurred earthquake, which has been compared to that deriving from the design spectrum at the Life Safety limit state contemplated in the current Technical Italian code (NTC 2018). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing of global energy consumption and the use of non-programmable renewable energy sources require the use of conversion systems with a high level of flexibility. The reduction of fossil fuels is a need and calls for technologies based on renewable sources which provide continuity of production, even when the source is unavailable. Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants represent a valid alternative able to replace fossil fuels in a medium/long term as high thermal source, keeping conventional technologies for the energy conversion section: the possibility to have small-medium and large-scale power plants increases the plant flexibility and provides a valid contribution to the GHG reduction policies on a local and global scale. The paper is focused on an innovative Parabolic Trough CSP plant using air as working fluid, with the purpose of reaching an acceptable overall global efficiency of the conversion section, ensuring production continuity thanks to a Thermal Energy Storage section. The hybridization of the CSP plant with an auxiliary biomass plant improves the performances of the components of the conversion section keeping them at design conditions even in presence of the Sun energy variability during days and months. In order to make a yearly-based producible energy evaluation, a typical solar year in the South of Italy has been considered. The use of air as thermal fluid, the conversion cycle adopted (presented by the authors in previous studies) and the integration with the biomass conversion sections have invited to recover the thermal energy losses at medium and high temperature with conversion sections based on the use of Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC), significantly improving the overall plant performance and, therefore, profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the relationship between Indoor Environmental Quality index (IEQ): thermal comfort index and indoor temperature trend in moderate thermal environments, in buildings that belong to the Class A with reference to the Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD). The work consists of the measurement of IAQ and energy efficiency in a residential building located in centre-north of Italy, namely Ravenna. The results of the measurements, as well as the PMV-PPD indexes, are presented and commented. These indexes could be a criteria to test if EPBD labelling building could be coherent with EN 15251 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]