Non-Destructive Damage Detection and Retrofitting Techniques on a Historical Masonry Tower

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to detect the damage of the bell tower of the Church “Santa Maria della Natività”, Noci (Bari, Italy) that in 2012 was hit by a lightning and to propose a retrofitting solution. The solution must be designed to improve the constructive regularity, the strength and ductility of the structure, especially on the more resistant structural elements or on the mechanisms of collapse so as to transform them from brittle to ductile ones. The tower is 35 m tall and it is structurally connected to the Church for about one third of its height; the remaining part of the tower is totally disconnected from the structure of the Church. The results of the experimental tests have been analyzed in order to estimate the modal parameters of the tower and to calibrate a 3D finite element model of the tower in order to design ad hoc improvement interventions.