This course will attempt to cover some fundamental aspects of probability and statistics, focusing on practical issues and concepts rather than mathematical demonstrations.
During the first part of the course, the concepts and definitions of random variables, along with their various associated functions, will be introduced. Next, the course will focus on the most commonly used probability distribution functions in civil engineering. The final part of the course will cover topics in statistics and sampling, including goodness-of-fit tests, regression analysis, estimation of distribution parameters based on statistical data, and hypothesis tests and their interpretation. Finally, the basic concepts of Monte Carlo simulation and an overview of variance reduction techniques will be discussed.

The course aims to provide students with the essential knowledge and skills to tackle the most common problems of
seismology in engineering and applied geophysical practice. The course consists of two main modules.
The first module will cover topics of engineering interest, including intensity measurements, ground motion prediction equations, earthquake recurrence analysis, seismotectonics and seismic hazard assessment (deterministic and probabilistic). In the second module, concepts of theoretical seismology will be introduced, with a focus on wave propagation and seismic source representation.

The course aims to allow the participants to gain further insights into structure dynamics by studying the vibration characteristics and dynamic response of structural systems to dynamic excitations generated by earthquakes, wind,
impacts and explosions. At the end of the course, the students will have a basic understanding of the following topics:

• discrete one-DOF (degree-of-freedom), multi-DOF and continuous vibration systems
• free and forced vibration response of discrete and continuous systems
• applications in structural design.

The course will provide an overview of the key aspects of the dynamic behaviour of linear and nonlinear one-DOF (degree-of-freedom) systems, forming the basis for an understanding of seismic design. Subsequently, the concepts of seismic design of structures will be covered.
The core of the course will be a discussion of force-based (widely adopted) and displacement-based (under development) seismic design philosophies, with a focus on the tools and steps required for their application and verification. The principles of capacity design, which are fundamental to ensuring a predetermined hierarchy of ductile plastic deformations, will be explained. Special attention will be paid to the design and construction details of reinforced concrete structures in accordance with Eurocode 8 and other regulations and guidelines. Further attention will be devoted to the characterisation of the force-strain behaviour of reinforced concrete structural elements, as well as to the modelling and analysis of reinforced concrete structures using non-linear finite element approaches.

The course will focus on gaining an advanced understanding of the nonlinear behaviour of structures under static and dynamic loads, with special emphasis on seismic loading. The lectures will cover advanced theoretical concepts of linear and nonlinear structural analysis, with a focus on constitutive material formulations, transformations for second-order geometric analysis and alternative elements for nonlinear analysis, including beam-column and link elements. State-of-the-art modelling techniques, particularly for steel and reinforced concrete structures, will be presented and applied through examples and exercises.

This course will cover the fundamentals of seismic design of steel structures, starting with the mechanical properties of materials, with a focus on ductility. Next, the behaviour of structural elements, including stability, will be presented. Bolted and welded connections will be analysed, and limit analysis will be introduced. In the final part of the course, strength and ductility aspects in seismic design will be dealt with, covering the design with dissipative elements of MRF structures, with concentric and eccentric bracing.

The aim of this course is to provide an introduction to materials, construction practices, structural behaviour, analysis methods and the main regulatory requirements for the seismic design of masonry buildings, as well as for the seismic assessment and adaptation/improvement of existing buildings.

The first part of the course will aim to introduce the basic concepts of risk assessment and loss estimation for assets exposed to natural events such as earthquakes and tropical cyclones. In addition, the fundamentals of seismic hazard analysis will be covered, with both probabilistic and deterministic approaches.

The course will then focus on the theory of catastrophic risk modelling for a range of structures, with special emphasis on earthquakes. However, tropical cyclones will also be touched upon. The applications discussed will mainly pertain to the insurance and reinsurance sectors. Next, seismic risk concepts for individual structures will be presented and compared with the approach taken for a portfolio of assets. The second part of the course will involve applying the theory of seismic risk assessment to real case studies. During this stage, reliance will be made on models that have already been developed, with a view to learning how to calculate and interpret the results. Finally, the third and last part of the course will explore in detail the more advanced approach for seismic risk assessment of individual buildings, both in terms of collapse and loss estimation. The techniques learnt will be applicable to both the design of new buildings and the assessment of existing buildings.

This course aims to provide students with basic knowledge of seismic assessment procedures, retrofitting strategies and techniques applicable to reinforced concrete buildings.
By the end of this short course, students will have become familiar with:

• the concepts and general principles underlying seismic assessment and retrofitting strategies, according to a performance-based approach
• existing national and international literature on seismic assessment and retrofitting, based on experimental, numerical and analytical studies and observations/reports from post-earthquake reconnaissance missions
• the general potential and limitations of different structural retrofitting solutions, both based on traditional techniques and more recent methodologies.

This course aims to provide students with an in-depth knowledge of the bridge design process, starting from conceptual design through to the detailed design of individual components.
The course is also designed to help students understand the transmission mechanism of applied loads, such as heavy traffic loads, impacts, horizontal braking/centrifugal forces, wind and seismic loads on bridges.

This course aims to introduce students to the fundamental theories and methods of seismic geotechnical engineering and soil dynamics. In particular, the following topics will be covered: propagation of mechanical waves in geomaterials, seismic soil response analysis, soil liquefaction, seismic instability of slopes, superficial fault rupture, dynamic soil-structure interaction and seismic analysis of foundations and soil retaining systems.

Students will learn the fundamental concepts of seismic risk assessment, together with the basic features of the calculation engine of the OpenQuake open-source software. Classes will be broken down into sections, each covering a different type of calculation using OpenQuake-engine. Each section will involve a technical and practical approach, including theoretical introductions to the problem, guiding examples, and insights into the OpenQuake tools. The study sections refer to the introduction of OpenQuake, single earthquake scenarios with associated losses and damage, probabilistic seismic hazard assessment, risk analysis with calculation of annual losses per building portfolio.