A multi-disciplinary approach to the study of cultural heritage towers

This work develops tools and approaches to analyze the dynamic behavior of old slender masonry structures. Two scales of analysis are considered to study these structures: global scale (for a set of structures) and local scale (for a specific tower). On a global scale, through developing a dedicated database and implementing simplified modeling, a quantitative evaluation of the main dynamic characteristics can quickly be done. More specifically, the simplified modeling developed is based on a Rayleigh-Ritz model of a Timoshenko beam. The model aims to introduce the principal elements that may influence the dynamic properties of the tower: soil-structure interaction, interaction with adjacent buildings, mass of the bell system, etc. At the local scale, a methodology is developed to analyze the behavior of a peculiar structure with fine mechanical modeling integrating data from different disciplines and in various formats. Thanks to laser scan, a point cloud is obtained and used to construct a mesh of the structure with varying levels of refinement. From an archeological point of view, stratigraphic units composed of specific building technics are identified and geometrically characterized to define a representative structure model. Finally, Operational Modal Analysis aims to provide the dynamic properties of the tower. The methodology will be illustrated with the bell tower of San Michele a Ronta.