https://www.aosr.ro/2022-2/

Heritage buildings represent a valuable part of the historic city and need to be protected through comprehensive preservation strategies in order to ensure the authenticity and spirit of the place. The base of any preservation policy is the knowledge that can be improved following vulnerability assessment methodologies.

The proposal of summer school is in accordance with the concerns of ICOMOS, which encourage a multidisciplinary assessment of historic buildings, aim to reduce the seismic risk and by doing this protect the cultural heritage and local communities. The multidisciplinarity of the activity is also dictated by intertwining the field of civil engineering with that of architecture, urban planning and socio-economic studies, focusing also on the cultural and artistic features. Considering that many historical urban centers are located in areas with very high level of exposure, for communities in seismic areas, earthquakes are a real danger and difficult to predict. 

The literature illustrates an interest for assessing the vulnerability of the historical buildings and to find consolidation solutions to reduce their vulnerabilities. The existing vulnerability assessment methodologies can be classified as empirical, mechanical or hybrid, all of them aiming to assess the probable damage state.

The empirical ones are based on a visual assessment to generate a vulnerability score, without the need for much knowledge, and are suitable for a quick preliminary study at the urban level. Among the empirical methodologies, the most frequently used are the “probable damage matrix” (Whitman et. Al., 1973), the “vulnerability index method” (Benedetti and Petrini, 1984 respectively the “method of continuous vulnerability curves” (Sabetta et. Al., 1998).

The mechanical ones are more precise, they need a complete survey and a non-linear analysis software, Tremuri in this case. It offers detailed information on failure mechanism, but is suitable for small groups of buildings. Among the best known, we note the "method of analytically derived vulnerability curves" (Dumova-Jovanoska, 2000) used in the RISK-EU research project (Mouroux, 2004), "method based on yield mechanisms" (Munari et. Al., 2009), respectively "method based on spectrum capacity ” (Milutinovic and Trendafiloski, 2003) widely used in the HAZUS or HAZARD US research project (F.E.M. Agency, 2003).

To combine the advantages of the previous two methods, hybrid methods can be used, which make a preliminary analysis with an empirical procedure, then calibrate them based on a mechanical analysis obtained on a small group of buildings and extrapolate results to adapt the initial empirical methodology (Kappos et. Al., 1991). They can be widely used and have the advantage of being customized for the investigated area.

The methodologies for assessing cultural vulnerability, not only structural one, exist worldwide, but which focus on the possibility of physical loss of some architectural-artistic elements, depending on reaching certain limit states (Fig. 2) (Lagomarsino et. Al., 2010). Among the research projects aimed at assessing cultural vulnerability, the European projects PERPETUATE (Lagomarsino et. Al., 2012) or NIKER (University of Pauda, 2012) stand out. The Ph. D. thesis of I. Onescu develops these methodologies so as to be considered aspects such as heritage, urban, cultural or socio-economic value, in accordance with the principles of Icomos and Iscarsah (Onescu, 2020). This aspect is important for ensuring urban policies of awareness, prevention, response and recovery in case of earthquake and this will be the base of the methodology that will be used during the summer school.

The main aim of the summer school is to disseminate the new original cultural vulnerability assessment proposed by I. Onescu and M. Mosoarca, which are part of the Polytechnic University of Timisoara and to apply the methodology to a larger number of historic buildings located in Fabric district, one of the most interesting area of the city. 

Cultural heritage as a factor in the development of sustainable policies suggests the establishment in a European framework of a methodology for a lasting management of the cultural heritage. A common cultural patrimony of the whole continent and the benefits offered by its diversity is one of the prime factors in the framework of the building and strengthening of rich Europe from a cultural point of view, whose intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual needs, are better satisfied.

It is therefore absolutely necessary the access to knowledge as a vital factor for the fulfilment of the individual and collective, possibly through a multidisciplinary approach, as evidenced by a concentrated set of policies, strategies and processes with a strong social character, which will be able to give a guarantee that the benefits of today urbanization will be sustainable in the future.

The summer school proposal is a multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary work which highlights that besides understanding the structural behavior of heritage buildings, there are a series of factors, which influenced the shape of the roof and the used structural typology and that the aesthetic features and the relation with the surrounding urban area has to also be taken into consideration. Noteworthy is that the procedure also considers environmental factors which can affect their state of conservation and the link to the building by acknowledging how these structures can influence the behavior of the buildings during seismic events. Only after such a comprehensive analysis, the possible consolidation and intervention preventing solutions can be structurally evaluated and decisions and strengthening measures, if necessary, taken.

In conclusion, the proposed summer school will offer the participating students a multi-cultural experience, in which they will learn modern methodologies for assessing the multi-risk vulnerability of historic buildings and urban areas, and they will also gain better abilities of collaborating, presenting, organising and others. 

The summer school will be held on-site, in Timisoara city, Romania.

The participants will be accommodated into the facilities of the Polytechnic University of Timisoara. The workshops will be held in two locations: the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning of Timisoara and a co-working space (located in the investigated area) or similar. The social event will be held in a social public space, while the exposition will be organized in a space that belongs to the University, such as the Library of Expo space. The cultural events will consist in one or two field guided tours in the city of Timisoara, as well as a trip to see the surroundings of Timisoara and the beauties of Banat area.

Students from 

Architecture

Urban Planning

Civil Engineering

Art

History

Economy

Social Sciences Faculties

36 (12 from Germany, 24 from Romania) 

580 EUR 

The DAAD will provide a partial scholarship and a travel allowance to German students who wish to participate in the Summer School (12 scholarships). For the scholarship, the students must apply following the steps provided in the next link:

https://www.daad.de/de/im-ausland-studieren-forschen-lehren/praktika-im-ausland/goeast/sommer-und-winterschulen/ausschreibung-go-east-winterschulen-2020/

The Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning will offer full scholarships for Romanian students who wish to participate in the Summer School, that will cover all the costs related.

The interested students should send a motivation letter (in English) to the coordinator's e-mail adress:

Lect. Habil. Arch. Ph.D. Eng. Iasmina Onescu

FAUT, Traian Lalescu 2A, Timisoara, Timis, Romania

iasmina.onescu@upt.ro 

+40727747956 

Please, consider the fact that by sending an application to this summer school, you give us the consent to further use any picture, results or information to disseminate them as we consider (scientific papers, social media). At the end of the activity, the participants will receive just a certificate of attendance.

03.05.2023