Geometric Construction and Parametric Modeling of Irregular Fortifications in Military Architecture Treatises from the Late Sixteenth to Seventeenth Centuries

The research, developed within the PRIN2022 INFORTREAT project, investigates early modern theories of irregular fortifications as described in the most influential military architecture treatises from the late sixteenth to seventeenth centuries. Irregular fortifications—designed for uneven sites or to reinforce existing structures—posed complex geometric challenges, as their defensive perimeters did not correspond to regular polygons. Contemporary scientific studies have largely focused on regular layouts, leaving irregular ones underexplored. This work identifies theoretical approaches proposed by key authors, such as Pietro Sardi, Samuel Marolois, Guarino Guarini and Claude François Milliet Dechales; to verify and compare these historical models, the research employs Visual Programming Language (VPL) techniques within parametric modeling environments, enabling dynamic reconstruction of defensive profiles and systematic evaluation of geometric constraints.