Earthquake-resistant foundations systems in Italy in the first decade of the twentieth century

In the first decade of the twentieth century, Italy was affected by a series of catastrophic earthquakes, including, in particular, the earthquakes on 8 September 1905 on the Tyrrhenian side of Calabria and 28 December 1908 in Messina and Reggio Calabria. These events caused substantial damage to the architectural heritage of urban centers and stimulated a lively debate on earthquake-resistant construction. The aim of this paper, based on a historical-critical research of many different sources, is to highlight the experimentation that took place in Italy around the theme of earthquake-resistant construction techniques, with particular reference to foundations, whose insufficient dimensions and erroneous construction were ones of the main causes of building vulnerability. The investigation will be based on the examination of regulations issued after the seismic disasters, reports and periodical publications, with reference also to competitions and congresses focusing on this issue.