Application of a multi-criteria decision-making approach for optimal building retrofitting

The present work describes the application of a life-cycle multi-criteria decision-making approach aimed at identifying the optimal building retrofitting strategy based on economic, environmental, and social parameters, including earthquake-induced impacts. The case-study building is an existing reinforced concrete (RC) structure built in 1970 in Northern Italy, which is assessed in both its as-built configuration, as well as following the application of four different integrated retrofitting strategies involving the use of RC walls, steel walls, steel diagrid, and timber shell solutions. Some of these strategies were designed according to life cycle thinking (LCT) principles, and one of the aims of this study is thus to demonstrate the advantages of such solutions also in terms of seismic risk protection. The seismic assessment of both as-built and retrofitted configurations is carried out through the employment of the FEMA P-58 approach. The results are compared in terms of the expected economic, environmental, and social impacts, leading to the identification of the timber shell solution as the best strategy among the four retrofitting alternatives