Traditional T-F Masonries in the City Centre of L’Aquila–The Baraccato Aquilano

Several baraccate houses, which date back to the eighteenth century, were discovered in the historical center of L’Aquila, Italy. Among traditional earthquake-resistant timber frames (T-F) in the Mediterranean Area, the baraccato of L’Aquila embodies an important step in the development of the baraccato technology. A significant variety of T-F structures emerged during the reconstruction works following the 2009 earthquake in L’Aquila. In the current paper, the diffusion as well as the different configurations of similar structures are reported. A systematic investigation of the baraccato was carried out; thus, a map of such structures has been drawn up. The baraccato aquilano does not unambiguously define a constructive typology, as in the baraccato borbonico, but it expresses the intuition-based attempt of master builders to protect masonry buildings from earthquakes. © 2019, © 2019 Taylor & Francis.