Abstract
The Benedictine Monastery of São Miguel de Refojos, located in Cabeceiras de Basto (Portugal), is a monumental complex and a distinctive example of the 18th century Portuguese Baroque architecture. This study addresses the state of conservation of the church as well as the evaluation of its structural behavior and seismic performance. An initial inspection and diagnosis campaign revealed that the structure presents low to moderate damage and other non-structural issues generally associated with high levels of moisture and water infiltration. In order to study the structural performance, a three-dimensional (3D) numerical model was prepared based on the finite element method. This model was calibrated with respect to dynamic identification tests and nonlinear static analyses were then performed to evaluate the seismic behavior. Capacity curves, deformations, crack patterns, and failure mechanisms were used to characterize the structural response. Additionally, the safety evaluation for horizontal actions was verified by means of limit analysis. An overall good agreement was found between the results of the pushover and the limit analyses. To conclude, the present work provides a comprehensive evaluation of the state of conservation of the church and verifies the safety condition of the structure for seismic actions.
Highlights
The church of São Miguel de Refojos is a monumental building in Baroque-Rococo style and is part of the historical Benedictine Monastery located in Cabeceiras de Basto, Portugal
The limit analysis results in capacity values equivalent to those obtained by means of the nonlinear static analysis, despite some differences in the damage patterns associated with the mechanisms
The seismic behavior was assessed by means of nonlinear static analysis as well as limit analysis
Summary
The church of São Miguel de Refojos is a monumental building in Baroque-Rococo style and is part of the historical Benedictine Monastery located in Cabeceiras de Basto, Portugal. The global response of this type of construction is difficult to characterize since URM structures dissipate energy by the propagation of damage (cracks), which leads to isolated mechanisms and local failure modes [9]. In this context, finite element (FE) modelling is a very useful tool for URM cases because it allows for an accurate simulation of the overall structural behavior under different scenarios. The case study presented in this paper presents a comprehensive methodology (inspection and diagnosis, numerical modelling, structural analyses, and safety assessment) that can be extrapolated and applied to similar constructions
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