Remains of the ancient colonnade in the archaeological site of Pompeii, Italy: vulnerability analysis and strengthening proposal

Abstract The recent discovery of a Thermopolis in Regio V of the archaeological site of Pompeii in December 2020, still completely intact and complete with decorations and kitchenware, has recalled the important role of archaeological sites that preserve and pass on the historical, artistic and architectural value of populations. Therefore, it appears even more evident, that there is the need to identify suitable methodologies to preserve intact the archaeological heritage, consistent with their peculiar characteristic of being in a state of ruin and, therefore, even more vulnerable to external actions, such as those induced by an unexpected earthquake, as compared to a complete building. Moreover, the very fact of being a protected heritage, also necessarily requires the use of special interventions such as not to alter the structures themselves and to guarantee reversibility. In this context, in this paper the seismic vulnerability of the remains of the colonnade of the forum of Pompeii is evaluated with the methods of kinematic analysis that allows the identification of the collapse mechanisms activated by an earthquake. To increase the capacity to withstand seismic actions, a non-invasive, reversible and non-impact reinforcement system has been proposed and validated carrying out numerical analyses conducted by means of a calculation code developed specifically for the study of these structural types consisting of an assemblage of rigid blocks.