Why Italy studied an impractical 8-inch/96 gun

Why did Italy study an 8-inch/96 gun if it was impractical?

To work the idea through on paper and demonstrate why it should not be built.

The Italian study resembles Royal Navy paper exercises used to work through a proposal for decision-makers. Detailed design could expose the costs and weaknesses of an extreme requirement. An impractical 8-inch/96 gun therefore still had value as an engineering study. Producing the design could become evidence against procurement rather than proof that the navy intended to build it.