The architectural heritage, both traditional and modern, poses very specific structural and seismic problems: experimental investigations of choice are those non-invasive, models must be able to simulate high geometric and mechanical complexities, but above all the demand for structural safety must be balanced with the need to preserve the historical and cultural value, or the structural conception itself.
Information of various kinds (historical, geometric, mechanical-structural, chemical-physical, etc.) is usually assimilated into mathematical models with diagnosis and prognosis capabilities ("model driven" approaches), or is processed on statistical bases, heuristics, or artificial intelligence ("data driven" approaches). Special interest is devoted to techniques for monitoring and protecting heritage from natural risks, such as earthquakes, and man-made risks. In this interdisciplinary context, PhD students are expected to acquire a strong capacity for analysis and comparison with other research areas.