Towards the definition of adaptive reuse structural project of a dismissed historic building in the former Corradini industrial complex in Naples, Italy

Increasingly, cities are facing the challenge of the adaptive reuse of abandoned historic industrial buildings as part of broader urban regeneration projects. These sites, often marked by significant structural deterioration but possessing high cultural value, require reuse interventions that begin with innovative and sustainable strengthening strategies, necessary to then proceed to an architectural design and new functions attributions. The adaptive reuse of cultural heritage is a key strategy for reconciling the preservation of historical identity with contemporary needs for sustainability, innovation, and urban development. According to this perspective, the aim of this paper is to focus on a deteriorated industrial heritage complex in Naples (Ex Corradini in the port of Naples, Italy), propose an optimization-based method for the structural strengthening of historical masonry structures using Fiber-Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM) systems. Current design codes frequently underestimate the compressive contribution of the mortar matrix in FRCM applications, leading to overly conservative interventions. Through comparative finite element analysis, the findings demonstrate that accurately modelling the matrix’s compressive behaviour can increase seismic. This enhancement supports more cost-effective and minimally invasive retrofitting strategies, particularly suitable for contexts with heritage constraints or limited financial resources.