A taxonomy-based rapid assessment procedure for seismic risk classification of single-story precast RC buildings

Past earthquake-related events have highlighted the vulnerability of Italian precast buildings, which are widely used for industrial purposes and therefore represent a significant source of potential economic loss in the event of an earthquake. In this context, insurance companies play a decisive role in the financial protection against earthquake-induced damage, and rapid and reliable procedures for seismic risk classification are essential for the preliminary definition of suitable policies. This study presents a taxonomy-based rapid assessment procedure for the seismic risk classification of single-storey precast reinforced concrete (RC) buildings. The approach introduces a classification framework that correlates building characteristics, construction period and seismic code evolution with corresponding fragility and demand models. By integrating fragility functions for structural elements, non-structural components and operational content (such as plant and machinery), the method enables a multi-component damage assessment leading to damage-based risk classes. The method was developed considering five representative building classes categorized based on their construction period and seismic regulations. The approach was validated using a case study of a RC precast building damaged during the 2012 Emilia earthquake, for which the main characteristics of the seismic event and the observed damage distribution are considered. This showed a strong correlation between the estimated and observed damage states, confirming the ability of the procedure to capture the main sources of structural and non-structural vulnerability. The proposed methodology provides a practical and transparent tool for large-scale screening and preliminary decision-making and is well suited for implementation in user-oriented software tools that allow even non-experts to assess the seismic classification of single-story precast industrial buildings built in Italy from the post-war period to the present day.