One-year dynamic monitoring of a masonry tower

Abstract

Abstract. The paper presents some results of the continuous dynamic monitoring program carried out on the tallest historic tower in Mantua, Italy. This project follows an extensive diagnostic investigation aimed at assessing the structural condition of the tower after the Italian earthquakes of May 2012. A simple dynamic monitoring system was permanently installed in the upper part of the building and automatic modal identification was performed. The results allow to evaluate the effects of changing temperature on automatically identified natural frequencies, to verify the practical feasibility of damage detection methods based on natural frequencies shifts and provide clear evidence of the possible key role of continuous dynamic monitoring in the preventive conservation of historic towers.

Integrated Modeling of Minerva Medica to Identify the Dynamic Effects of Rail-Traffic Vibrations

“…There are several studies in the literature on applications of finite-element models to study dynamic analyses with use of experimental measurements; a large part of the scientific literature concerns slender structures, such as towers and minarets [4][5][6][7][8]. There are also works regarding ancient Roman constructions, such as the Colosseum [3,9,10], the Basilica of Maxentius [2], the Baths of Diocletian [11], the Trajan Arch [12], the Circus Maximum [13], the Frontinus Gate [14], the Verona Arena [15], and the so-called Temple of Minerva Medica [16,17]; the main focus of these studies is dynamic identification, thus processing of site-recorded data to extract the modal features of these constructions.…”