Factors Affecting the Seismic Analysis of Historical Masonry Structures: Case of a Single-Nave Church Damaged during the 2009 L’Aquila Earthquake
Publication: Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 28, Issue 4
Abstract
The post-earthquake seismic assessment of buildings is usually performed through numerical methods. Geometrical simplifications of the structure are often introduced. Moreover, the seismic input is evaluated following the indications of reference standards, although overestimated forces may be obtained compared with those that actually occurred. In this paper, through the case study of a single-nave church, the significant influence of the geometric modeling of the roof on the structural response and the importance of the correct definition of the seismic input in post-earthquake analyses are shown, even in the case of very simple structural organisms. A preliminary limit analysis and nonlinear static analyses, after the definition of new response spectra based on a subset of the recorded ground accelerations, have been performed. The decisive role played by the correct geometric modeling and the proposed response spectra in the simulation of the overall response and damage status is shown. Finally, the importance of the method in the design of retrofitting works is highlighted through the basic example of the numerical response of the structure reinforced with CFRP composite.
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Acknowledgments
This study was conducted as part of project CH2V – Cultural Heritage Hazard and Vulnerability, Program Piano di incentivi per la ricerca di Ateneo 2020/2022 (Pia.ce.ri.), with the financial support of University of Catania, Italy. The authors are grateful to A. Distefano, F. Raffa, M. Cristaldi, and S. Catania for their contributions to the architectural survey and preliminary numerical simulations.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 28 • Issue 4 • December 2022
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 7, 2021
Accepted: May 11, 2022
Published online: Sep 1, 2022
Published in print: Dec 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Feb 1, 2023
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Buildings
- Case studies
- Design (by type)
- Earthquake engineering
- Earthquakes
- Engineering fundamentals
- Facilities (by type)
- Geohazards
- Geometrics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Highway and road design
- Methodology (by type)
- Numerical methods
- Religious buildings
- Research methods (by type)
- Seismic effects
- Seismic tests
- Structural analysis
- Structural engineering
- Structures (by type)
- Tests (by type)
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