Thesis title: Edilizia scolastica: l'eredità del passato verso nuovi scenari. Interventi integrati e ottimizzazione multidisciplinare
The present research focuses on retrofit of the existing school buildings in Italy, motivated by the central role that schools play in society and the critical condition of the school infrastructure. The study analyzes the morphological and constructive evolution of educational buildings to understand their current state, exploring structural, energy, and functional aspects as well as recent design trends. It also examines funding programs and completed interventions, highlighting the urgency of a coordinated and strategic plan to address the issues facing school buildings. Special attention is given to the integration of seismic upgrading and energy efficiency as a mean to improve the overall quality of the buildings. The research investigates the feasibility, limitations, and benefits of an integrated approach to the rehabilitation of existing schools through the analysis and application of exoskeletons and the use of Multidisciplinary Optimization (MDO).
By analyzing a case study selected from the primary schools in Terni, the benefits of an integrated exoskeleton-based approach are demonstrated, as well as the added value derived from applying MDO in the early design phase. This allows for an expanded design space, the generation of multiple alternatives, and the identification of trade-offs between conflicting goals of different disciplines. Simulations, supported by artificial intelligence techniques, have confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed approach. While the case study focused on the use of an exoskeleton, the MDO framework is not inherently tied to this specific solution; rather, it can be extended to a variety of retrofit strategies that involve the coordinated integration of multidisciplinary objectives. Although this methodology has shown promising results, further developments are suggested to make it effectively operational within the field of school building retrofit.