Towards a reliability-based approach for the seismic design: an application to the Italian territory

This study highlights the need to transition from a traditional uniform-hazard approach to a risk-targeted methodology in seismic design and assessment. Specifically, a seismic action calibration model is proposed, aiming to ensure uniform reliability across different types of constructions, both for new designs and for the assessment of existing constructions. The model is applied to the Italian territory, where seismic hazard varies from site to site. The results offer valuable insights into the expected impact of adopting a risk-targeted approach on a national scale, emphasizing the potential benefits in terms of structural safety, economic efficiency, and code modernization. Furthermore, a procedure is presented for deriving target reliability indexes, calibrated according to recent international research and evolving performance-based design standards.