Considering the seismic behaviour of cultural heritage buildings, recent earthquakes have emphasised the high vulnerability of vaulted structures. In this regard, the present thesis deals with masonry cross vaults, among the most diffused and fascinating structural typologies of the European cultural heritage. After a thorough review of cross vault historical developments, the focus is shifted to the shaking table tests of a scaled arch. These two points provided valuable information to calibrate the finite element model of cross vault, discussed next. Finally, the influence of the main geometrical and mechanical parameters on the seismic capacity of cross vaults are examined by means of a sensitivity analysis.

This book gathers the peer-reviewed papers presented at the 13th International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions (SAHC), held in Kyoto, Japan, on September 12-15, 2023. It highlights the latest advances and innovations in the field of conservation and restoration of historical and heritage structures. The conference topics encompass history of construction and building technology, theory and practice of conservation, inspection methods, non-destructive techniques and laboratory testing, numerical modeling and structural analysis, management of heritage structures and conservation strategies, structural health monitoring, repair and strengthening strategies and techniques, vernacular constructions, seismic analysis and retrofit, vulnerability and risk analysis, resilience of historic areas to climate change and hazard events, durability, and sustainability. As such the book represents an invaluable, up-to-the-minute tool, providing an essential overview of conservation of historical constructions, and offers an important platform to engineers, architects, archeologists, and geophysicists. Chapter Guidelines for Seismic Retrofitting of Earthen Historic Buildings in Peru and Latin America is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue Reducing the Seismic Vulnerability of Existing Buildings: Assessment and Retrofit that was published in Buildings

Living organisms are adapted to their environment. Modern compilers and runtime systems for computer software are no different: as part of a continuous optimization process, they can adapt the execution cycle of a program to the workload it operates on. This thesis brings novel ideas to the software optimization domain. It illustrates methodological and practical contributions that advance the state of the art for performance profiling techniques and adaptive runtime designs, backed by promising experimental results on industrial-strength benchmarks. Part of the results has been presented in flagship programming language venues.

The topic of proactivity of brain functions has become of growing interest in the cognitive neuroscience. Brain activity is no longer described solely in a reactive way, but also as preparatory and predictive of future events. This volume focuses especially on the neurocognitive activities associated with anticipatory processes of perceptual decision-making. What does the brain do to prevent mistakes? Is it possible to prevent speed and accuracy of a decision even before it is made? Why do some people perform better or worse than others? The volume answers these and other questions through the description of some original research. In particular, electroencephalographic investigations are illustrated which allowed to define a first version of the model known as “preparation-perception-action cycle”. Present findings reveal theoretical and practical implications which constitute a useful reference for researchers and scholars interested in discovering the aware and unaware ways in which our brain anticipates the future.

This PhD thesis consists of three projects: the first and the second ones, carried out at Sapienza University of Rome, deal with the design and synthesis of novel COX-2 selective inhibitors and dual COX-2 inhibitors/NO-releasing agents, respectively. The third project concerns the development of a novel BRD9 chemical probe and was realized at the University of Oxford (Department of Chemistry).

This volume collects the main results of the Author’s Ph.D. course in Electromagnetics and Mathematical Models for Engineering, attended at ‘Sapienza’ University of Rome from November 2011 to February 2015, in the Electromagnetic Fields 1 Lab of the Department of Information Engineering, Electronics and Telecommunications, under the tutoring of Prof. Alessandro Galli.

Neuropathic pain is a common problem in clinical practice, which affects patients quality of life. The more recent approach to this peculiar type of pain is based on the “sensory profiles theory”. According to this theory, neuropathic pain manifests with different combinations of sensory abnormalities, which in turn arise through different pathophysiological mechanisms. Convincing evidence now suggests that the classification of neuropathic pain according to a mechanism-based approach rather than etiology could help in targeting the therapy for the individual patient and would be useful for testing new drugs. My work has therefore focused on disclosing the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain and how they translate into symptoms.

The book focuses on all typological aspects of arches and vaults within the heritage of design and construction, while bringing attention to new “green” materials, promoting a circular economy informed by limitations caused by global warming. The multidisciplinary approach involves several different competences in architecture, structural engineering, conservation and restoration, geomatics, BIM, building engineering, the technology and history of construction, graphical methods of assessment, and innovative design that utilizes non-polluting materials. After an overview of the technical and aesthetic advantages of masonry vaults, there is a review of the most up-to-date trends in historic preservation. Classic methods of static assessment and innovative building technologies are detailed. Surveying methods and data acquisition are discussed, particularly laser scanning technology and its applications in heritage masonry curved structures. Next comes the experimental static and dymanic behavior of masonry vaults, followed by a critical revision of Distinct Element innovative computerized Methods. An explanation as to how to pass from classic stability analysis to an adaptive Finite Element Method limit analysis procedure is offered. Reinterpretation of the past is then undertaken, with an eye towards emphasizing sustainability. Finally, the conclusion examines still existing gaps in knowledge and recommends avenues of future research.

Brick and Block Masonry - From Historical to Sustainable Masonry contains the keynote and semi-keynote lectures and all accepted regular papers presented online during the 17th International Brick and Block Masonry Conference IB2MaC (Kraków, Poland, July 5-8, 2020). Masonry is one of the oldest structures, with more than 6,000 years of history. However, it is still one of the most popular and traditional building materials, showing new and more attractive features and uses. Modern masonry, based on new and modified traditional materials and solutions, offers a higher quality of life, energy savings and more sustainable development. Hence, masonry became a more environmentally friendly building structure. Brick and Block Masonry - From Historical to Sustainable Masonry focuses on historical, current and new ideas related to masonry development, and will provide a very good platform for sharing knowledge and experiences, and for learning about new materials and technologies related to masonry structures. The book will be a valuable compendium of knowledge for researchers, representatives of industry and building management, for curators and conservators of monuments, and for students.