Il principio di gerarchia delle resistenze capacity design

The devastating effects generated by earthquakes occurred in different parts of the world have attract at a major interest in Earthquake Engineering. This branch of Structural Engineering studies the response and capacity of structural systems subjected to seismic actions, and develops design and prediction methods aimed at achieving adequate safety standards in presence of seismic events. A strategy used for the seismic prediction of RC structures, based on the capacity design of structural elements is the "hierarchy of strengths" (HS) principle. The paper shows how a proper use of the HS capacity design method can be included within the seismic design of RC structures achieving high levels of seismic protection through a comprehensive control of the structural response.