On the basis of a critical analysis of damage produced by earthquakes, over time, traditional construction techniques have developed effective solutions for earthquake-resistant buildings. Meaningful examples of this can be found within the vernacular tradition of the Mediterranean area, which is characterized by frequently recurring seismic events. Specifically, in southern Italy and in the Greek Ionian Islands, two interesting construction types still survive and merit special attention in relation to the structural solutions adopted, which are consistent with modern views of earthquake-resistant design. In both cases, the mixed use of timber and masonry is present, although with different modalities and purposes; indeed, in the Italian case, timber elements are present over the building’s entire height as an additional bracing system, whereas in the Greek one, timber is used at the second and third stories to reduce the structural mass. In this work, two selected case studies are presented, through which the distinctive construction details of each tradition are commented on.

The work focuses on the structural properties of two Byzantine churches built during the 11^th century in Torcello (Venice Laguna) and Stilo (east coast of Calabria). Despite the large distance between the two religious buildings and deep differences in the building typology, some common features are detectable, recalling the construction solutions of the Byzantine structures. Both churches, well known from an historical and artistic point of view, represent two important examples of the Byzantine period. The authors, involved in a vulnerability analysis of these buildings, had the opportunity to investigate some structural characteristics of the masonry walls through non-destructive tests (NDT). The results of the experimental campaign are presented here in order to contribute to the knowledge of Byzantine constructive systems.

Much like their Earth-based counterparts, the requirements of future space habitat structures can be defined by their ability to protect their occupants and provide usable space to live and work in an extreme, isolated environment. Due to the high cost of transporting resources off of Earth’s surface, recent efforts focus on developing increasingly Earth-independent structural designs. These new designs use local regolith-based materials as a possible solution for long-term extraterrestrial sustainability. With a focus on an Earth-independent habitat, this research looks at architectures that use spherical regolith-based concrete shells with carbon fiber polymer reinforcement. The research approach is to formulate the structural design problem as a multi-objective optimization of the habitat shell. The objectives that apply to the shell geometry and cross section include the minimization of transportation and construction costs, and the minimization of the probability of loss due to radiation and micrometeorite events. Direct trade-offs arise. The multi-objective optimization applies Pareto optimization to determine which design elements or options afford the greatest effectiveness or efficiency. The authors examine candidate design solutions based on priorities and performance thresholds which indicate that ISRU-based reinforced concrete may be a valuable future investment. While the cases presented here are limited to lunar surface systems, both the general architectures and the methodology for analysis and design are applicable to future Mars settlements.