Non-destructive techniques for structural characterization of cultural heritage: A pilot case study

This work describes an approach for combining local and global non-destructive techniques for the structural characterization and conservation assessment of cultural heritage buildings. An experimental investigation program was conducted on the south vault of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, involving historical investigations, a damage survey, sonic tests, and ambient vibration measurements. Recorded data were employed to assess the material and structural properties of the vault and to characterize the observed damage pattern. The study of the correlation between results of sonic tests and ambient vibration measurements has shown how, in complex structural typologies, the information provided by both these two kinds of tests are necessary in order to effectively characterize the structural behaviour, which is strongly influenced by the complexity of geometry and restraint condition. Experimental results have been used for the validation of a numerical model adopting a non-conventional approach. The procedure is based on comparing numerical simulation of ambient vibration response in terms of the frequency content of acceleration signals. This approach can be performed using only a limited number of measured acceleration signals, proving to be useful and cost-effective. The work aims to provide helpful insights into the combined use of non-destructive tests for the efficient structural characterization and safety assessment of heritage structures.