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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present and validate a large-scale methodology for risk assessment and management in cultural heritage sites, taking into account their specific tangible or intangible values. Emphasis is given to historic centres that are key resources in building resilience to disasters but are also highly vulnerable due to several factors, such as the characteristics of the built environment, the community and social life, the lack of risk awareness and maintenance and finally the poor regulatory framework for their management and valorisation.Design/methodology/approachThe multi-step procedure starts from the assessment of the attributes of cultural heritage in order to identify priorities and address the analysis. Then, it evaluates the primary and secondary hazards in the area, the vulnerabilities and threats of the site and the impacts of the chain of events. Finally, it allows for calibrating a site-specific set of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery measures.FindingsThe application to two case studies in the Italian peninsula, the historic centres of San Gimignano and Reggio Calabria, allows for identifying research gaps and practical opportunities towards the adoption of common guidelines for the selection of safety measures.Originality/valueBy providing a qualitative assessment of risks, the research points out the potentialities of the methodology in the disaster risk management of cultural heritage due to its capacity to be comprehensive and inclusive towards disciplines and professionals.

Italy is one of the most earthquake prone areas in Europe and one of the countries with the richest cultural legacy in the world. A series of seismic events occurred in the last decades caused considerable casualties and damage to historic centres, highlighting the need of undertaking protective measures to limit the impact of any potential earthquake. The complex morphology of historical city centres with their century-old built environment contribute to the high vulnerability and exposure in the areas. This research introduces an interdisciplinary approach to implement the seismic emergency management for historical centres in Italy and consequently to address their preventive planning. A procedure combining vulnerability analysis and urban spatial techniques allows defining a ranking of priority interventions to be included into a preventive plan in order to ensure free escape routes and clear access for the emergency services during the post-seismic phase. The first step of this work is the survey of the present-day configuration of historic centres, with their historical assets, aggregates, critical infrastructures, urban functions and strategic activities. Then, a key aspect regards the vulnerability assessment of the urban fabric in order to predict post-seismic damage scenarios. By considering the interference of the buildings' vulnerability with the street network, it is possible to develop mitigation strategies to improve the emergency management.

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