Methodologies for the evaluation of seismic vulnerability of complex masonry buildings: case histories in the historic centre of Sulmona

This paper describes a procedure, addressed to an articulated knowledge of the material, of the morphology and of the constructive aspects of the masonry structures, of the mechanical behaviour and of the possible failure mechanisms of complex buildings in Sulmona (AQ), an important historic centre in Central Italy. It is an area of great interest, not only considering its seismic history, but also because of the characteristics of its prestigious buildings, mainly made of multiple leaf stone masonry.