
Executive project for the “Enhancement, Reorganization and Integration of Pathways in Urban Space through quality actions aimed at sustainable, economic and social development and realization of an educational hub” at the municipality of Mercogliano
The project is inherent to the revitalization of the territory of the City of Mercogliano through the enhancement of those urban structures in symbiosis with the natural, historical and cultural resources of the site. The proposed intervention creates the prerequisites for an organic development through a redevelopment of a part of the urban mesh integrated with other planned interventions.The municipality of Mercogliano, for years, vis-à-vis its district and neighboring municipalities a strategic role and the visibility it enjoys as a tourist destination requires a revitalization of its facilities for the benefit, not only of its citizens, but of a very large catchment area.

Framing of the Municipality of Mercogliano
PROJECT GOALS
The main interventions in the project involved:
- The construction of an Educational Pole named “Preturo”;
- The redevelopment of Via Matteotti starting from the Church of St. Modestino eastward to the entrance of Via Papa Giovanni XXIII;
- The redevelopment of the existing equipped green space adjacent to the council houses on Via Matteotti, with the creation of a square.

Framing of planned interventions
TRAINING POLE
The training hub consists of three levels, of which the basement is structurally separated from the upper two floors by seismic isolation devices. The ground floor houses socio-training environments (creative workshops) as well as administrative offices, locker rooms storage rooms and bathrooms. The first floor houses educational environments and collective gathering spaces open to the local community, as well as a library, administrative offices, locker rooms, storage rooms and bathrooms. The flat roof houses a photovoltaic system and a solar thermal system.

Photo-integration of the Training Pole within the territorial and environmental context
The building was built isolated at the base by providing:
- the superstructure made with framed load-bearing structure with cast-in-place columns and partly prefabricated REP-type beams, and floors made with prefabricated elements of the honeycomb type;
- insulation interface made with FPS (“Friction Pendulum System”) reverse pendulum type insulation devices;
- substructure made with direct slab type foundation with lightened slab and reinforced concrete retaining walls of soils.

Section diagram showing the Superstructure,
of the isolation interface and from the substructure
Horizontal structures
The horizons are made by means of hollow core slabs with supplementary slow reinforcement and subsequent completion casting in reinforced concrete. Specifically, the height of the floors is 26+5cm. The insulation interface is made at the soffit of the first deck. In particular, the planned isolation devices, of the FPS type, are allocated at the head of the piers of the semi-basement floor. In order to allow relative movements between the superstructure and the basement level, a vertical joint capable of ensuring horizontal displacements of at least 35cm is provided.
Over-structure
The superstructure consists of r.c. frames consisting of square-section pillars with dimensions of 60×60cm, while in the semi-basement with rectangular or L-shaped sections at the corners of the template, all with a base of 80cm. The beams, with similar section distribution for all decks, have dimensions 30×70, 40×70, 50×70 and 60x70cm.
The following are diagrams of the foundation plan and carpentry of a typical plan with photographic excerpts from the time the building was constructed.

Outline of Foundation Plan and implementation in progress

Outline of Carpentry Level type and construction in progress
Insulation Interface
Insulation of the building was achieved by means of FPS-type curved surface sliding insulators arranged at the soffit of the first floor slab of the elevated structure and supported by 60x60cm square-section reinforced concrete columns. In order to allow for re-centering, removal and/or replacement of the insulators by means of hydraulic jacks, pillar ringing elements are provided. The isolation system consists of elastomeric isolators arranged in plan according to the following diagram.

Floor plan arrangement of isolation devices

FIP-D type isolator
Photographic documentation of implementation of the isolation plan is shown below.
Criteria of Seismic Isolation at the base
Base isolation is an innovative seismic protection technology that allows the seismic motion of the building in elevation to be separated from that of the foundation soil (§7.10 D.M. 2018). This is achieved by realizing a layer characterized by low transverse stiffness that allows raising the fundamental periods of vibration and, therefore, bringing the building into the range of lower spectral accelerations. Specifically, to achieve isolation, a structural discontinuity (isolation interface) is provided along the height of the building such that large relative horizontal displacements are allowed between the top (superstructure) and bottom (substructure) of the building in the horizontal directions [01],[02],[03],[04],[05],[06].
The connection between the superstructure and the substructure is made by means of isolators, i.e., special supporting devices characterized by low stiffness against horizontal displacements and high stiffness against vertical displacements. The seismic protection strategy adopted makes it possible to decouple the motion of the superstructure from that of the substructure in such a way as to concentrate the deformations of the superstructure essentially at the isolation plane. Thus, during the seismic event, the superstructure behaves as a rigid body that oscillates on the isolation level.
The isolation system, consisting of the isolation devices, requires superior reliability due to its critical role. In this regard, elastic field verifications are also conducted at SLV and SLC limit states. Ultimately, in accordance with Paragraph 7.10.6 of D.M. 2018, the limit states against which verifications need to be carried out are:
Limit State | |
Substructure and foundations | SLV, SLD |
Isolation Devices | SLC |
Over-structure | SLD |
SLV |
The required level of protection for the substructure and foundation against SLD is considered to be achieved in the case where the verifications against SLV are met. Regarding the SLD verifications of the superstructure, these are carried out by checking that the interstorey displacements are less than 2/3 of the limits specified for SLD in §7.3.7.2, D.M. 2018 for ordinary structures. In this regard, please refer to §2.6 of this calculation report. The devices chosen for the insulation of the construction under verification have mechanical and dynamic characteristics such that they can be linearly modeled equivalently. In particular, the devices exhibit equivalent linear damping of less than 15 percent, and the stiffness characteristics are such that they can be modeled by means of elastic elements (§7.10.5.2 D.M.2008).
Redevelopment of Via Matteotti
The redevelopment of Mercogliano’s main artery, Via Matteotti, was designed in order to facilitate vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
The street profile was designed by keeping both the driveway and sidewalks level. The road consists, from bottom to top, of a foundation layer of granular country mix, a base layer of stabilized mix, an asphalt binder course, and the wearing surface, all proportioned according to the type of road and vehicular traffic.

Road section for the redevelopment of Matteotti Street
Green space redevelopment
At the east end of Matteotti Street, the redevelopment of the existing small square has increased year-round usability and livability. The small square was repaved with smooth washed concrete, new green flower beds were created, leaving the three existing trees intact, and a pergola parallel to Via Matteotti was added in order to create a filter between the driveway and pedestrian areas.
Finally, a public parking lot for 22 cars was also created, as well as three phyto-purification tanks for the biological and environmentally sustainable disposal of stormwater from the forecourt. In addition, areas for the future installation of kiosks and public restrooms have been set aside to activate a more peripheral part of the city.

Green space redevelopment
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] B. PALAZZO – L. PETTI” Aspects of passive control of structural vibrations”, pp.529-544. In International Journal of MECCANICA vol. 32 n.6 Dec.1997. ISSN:0025-6455
[2] B. PALAZZO – L. PETTI “Reduction factors for base isolated structures”, pp.945-955. In Computers & Structures Journal 1996, vol. 60 n.6 ISSN:0045-7949
[3] B. PALAZZO – L. PETTI – M. ROMANO “Criteri di progetto a danneggiabilità controllata dei sistemi sismicamente isolati alla base”, pp. 9-17. In Ingegneria Sismica” n. 1, 1996.ISSN:0393-1420
[4] B. PALAZZO – L. PETTI “On the concept of seismically isolated bridges: the pole-placement method for shaping the dynamic response”, pp.509-518 vol. 13. In Proceedings of First European Conference on Structural Control, 29-31 may 1996, Barcellona, Spain.ISBN:9810230192
[5] B. PALAZZO – L. PETTI “Frequency-shaping method to optimally control base isolated systems equipped with hybrid mass dampers”, pp. 499-508 vol. 13. In Proceedings of First European Conference on Structural Control, 29-31 may 1996, Barcellona, Spain.ISBN:9810230192
[6] B. PALAZZO – L. PETTI “Stochastic Response comparison between Base Isolated and Fixed-Base Structures”, pp.77-96. In Earthquake Spectra, vol. 13, n. 1, February 1997. ISSN:8755-2930
[7] Legge 05 Novembre 1971 n.1086
[8] Legge 02 Febbraio 1974 n.64
[9] Norme Tecniche per le Costruzioni – D.M. 14-01-2008
[10] Circolare 02 febbraio 2009, n. 617 C.S.LL.PP
[11] DPR 6 Giugno 2001 N. 380
[12] Decreto legislativo 12 aprile 2006, n. 163 – Codice dei contratti pubblici relativi a lavori, servizi e forniture in attuazione delle direttive 2004/17/CE e 2004/18/CE;
[13] Decreto del Presidente della Repubblica 05 ottobre 2010, n. 207 – Regolamento di attuazione della legge quadro in materia di lavori pubblici 163/2006 e s.s.m.i.
[14] Normativa sull’eliminazione delle barriere architettoniche:
[15] Legge n°104 del 05/02/1992 “Legge-quadro per l’assistenza e l’integrazione sociale dei diritti delle persone handicappate”;
[16] P.R. 24/07/1996 n°503 “Regolamento recante norme per l’eliminazione delle barriere architettoniche negli edifici, spazi e servizi pubblici”.
[17] Norme CEI ed UNI applicabili:
[18]Norme specifiche di prevenzione incendi.
Download the design table here – Floor plan and construction details