THE RESEARCH PROJECT CONCERNS THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW DESIGN METHODOLOGIES, BASED ON A PERFORMANCE APPROACH, FOR THE SEISMIC DESIGN OF FLEXIBLE SUPPORT WORKS. FOR SUCH WORKS, IN FACT, CONVENTIONAL DESIGN METHODS CAN LEAD TO OVERLY CONSERVATIVE AND UNECONOMIC DESIGN SOLUTIONS IN AREAS OF HIGH SISMICITÃ.IN AREAS WITH HIGH SEISMIC HAZARDS, FLEXIBLE SUPPORT WORKS CAN DRAW ON CONDITIONS OF ULTIMATE LIMIT STATE, INCLUDING YIELDING OF STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS OR EXCESSIVE ACCUMULATION OF PERMANENT MOVEMENTS. THE ULTIMATE LIMIT STATE CONDITIONS CAN ALSO BE INDUCED BY LIQUEFAZIONE PHENOMENA.THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO INVESTIGATE THE SEISMIC BEHAVIOUR OF FLEXIBLE SUPPORT WORKS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF SIMPLIFIED DESIGN METHODS. THIS GOAL WILL BE PURSUED BY COMBINING DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES: (1) PHYSICAL MODELING IN CENTRIFUGE TO INVESTIGATE THE SALIENT ASPECTS OF CO