Effects of May 2012 Emilia earthquake on industrial buildings of early ’900 on the Po river line

The present work focuses on the effects of May 2012 Emilia earthquake on industrial buildings dating back to the early 20th century (early ’900) sited on the Po river line in the area of Mantua and Ferrara. From a structural point of view, the most severely damaged structures were historical and cultural heritage-relevant buildings (churches, castles and towers) and precast concrete warehouses. Also, a number of masonry chimneys have been damaged and subsequently demolished; in this context the paper discusses in detail the case of the chimney located at the School of Engineering of the University of Ferrara. Moreover, severe damages were reported by water lifting facilities in the affected areas, with a noteworthy risk for the earthquake stricken territory preservation. In this paper some of the most relevant plants are discussed.