Seismic Risk Mitigation of Historical Masonry Towers by Means of Prestressing Devices

Abstract:

This work presents the investigation of the efficiency of different prestressing devices as a rehabilitation measure for the seismic risk mitigation of historical masonry towers. As a first phase, the seismic vulnerability of theoretical masonry towers was assessed by means of numerical models validated with information from the literature, observed damage and behavior of these structures due to passed earthquakes (crack pattern and failure mechanisms), and mainly taking into account the engineering experience. Afterwards, the validated models were rehabilitated with different prestressing devices; analyzing the results and concluding which device or the combination of them improved in a better way the seismic performance of the masonry towers. Finally, the methodology will be applied in two historical masonry towers located in seismic areas; the medieval tower “Torre Grossa” of San Gimignano, Italy, and one of the bell towers of the Cathedral of Colima, Mexico.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 133-134)
• Pages: 843-848
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.133-134.843
• Online since: October 2010
• Authors: Adolfo Preciado Quiroz, Silvio T. Sperbeck, Harald Budelmann, Gianni Bartoli, Elham Bazrafshan
• Keywords: Historical Masonry Tower, Linear Analysis, Non-Linear Analysis, Prestressing Devices as Structural Rehabilitation, Risk Assessment, Risk Mitigation, Seismic Risk Management

References

[1] Bachmann, H, et al. (1997). Vibration problems in structures: Practical Guidelines.

[2] Bayraktar, A, et al. (2009). Modal parameter identification of Hagia Sophia Bell-Tower via ambient vibration test., Journal of Nondestructive Evaluation , 28, 37-47.

DOI: 10.1007/s10921-009-0045-9

[3] Calderini, C, and Lagomarsino, S (2004). A constitutive model for masonry: Formulation and implementation for the analysis of complex structures., University of Genoa, Italy.

[4] Casolo, S (1998). A three-dimensional model for the vulnerability analysis of a slender medieval masonry tower., Journal of Earthquake Engineering, 2(4), 487-512.

DOI: 10.1080/13632469809350332

[5] Gambarotta, L, and Lagomarsino, S (1997). Damage models for the seismic response of brick masonry shear walls., Earthquake Eng. and Structural Mechanics, 26, 441-462.

DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-9845(199704)26:4<441::aid-eqe651>3.0.co;2-0

[6] GNDT (1990). Seismic Risk of Public Buildings., Italy.

[7] Grünthal, G (1998). European Macroseismic Scale, Volume 15, Luxembourg.

[8] Ivorra, S, et al. (2008). Experimental and numerical studies on the belltower of Santa Justa y Rufina (Orihuela-Spain), " in Proc. SAHC, 08, paper CH29, 349-355.

DOI: 10.1201/9781439828229.ch39

[9] Lang, K (2002). Seismic vulnerability of existing buildings., Doctoral Thesis. ETH, Zurich.

[10] NCSE (2002). Spanish Seismoresistant Construction Norm., Spanish standard.