Abstract
Diagnostics is a very important tool of knowledge in the field of historical buildings. In particular, non-destructive techniques allow to deepen the study of the mechanical characteristics of the historical walls without compromising the artistic value of the monumental building. A case study of the use of sonic and impact tests was described, performed using the same instrumented hammer, for the characterization of the masonry walls at the Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie at Varoni, one of the churches damaged in the 2016 Amatrice earthquake. Sonic tests showed the presence of a discontinous masonry texture, as well as confirming the ineffectiveness of the strengthening work made by injections of lime mortar. The impact test allowed us to obtain the elastic modulus of the omogeneous stones of the masonry. The results obtained from the non-destructive techniques were confirmed by the flat jacks test carried out on the building, confirming the great potential of the non-destructive diagnostics suitable for analyzing important structural parameters without affecting the preservation of historical masonry structures.
Highlights
The immense historical and architectural heritage is increasingly in need of safety measures and seismic improvement in order to preserve monumental buildings, especially against violent earthquakes
This study describes the results of sonic and impact tests performed on the masonry walls of the Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Varoni, near Amatrice, damaged by the 2016 Central Italy earthquake
The diagnostic campaign carried out atby therunning
Summary
The immense historical and architectural heritage is increasingly in need of safety measures and seismic improvement in order to preserve monumental buildings, especially against violent earthquakes. The structural vulnerabilities of the historical monuments reside in the poor connections between walls and floors, often combined as a sum of different buildings over time, and in the quality and strength of the masonry structures. This study describes the results of sonic and impact tests performed on the masonry walls of the Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Varoni, near Amatrice, damaged by the 2016 Central Italy earthquake. The purpose of the tests was the characterization of the mechanical properties of the wall texture to better understand the seismic vulnerabilities of the church.
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