Post-earthquake assessment of a masonry tower by on-site inspection and operational modal testing

Abstract

The paper describes the methodology applied to assess the state of preservation of the tallest historic tower in Mantua, the "Gabbia" tower, after the earthquakes of May 2012. An extensive investigation program - including visual inspection, sonic and flat jack tests, operational modal testing and structural modeling - has been planned to support the future preservation actions of the tower. The paper focuses especially on the information collected during on-site survey and dynamic tests and describes how these results can be employed and cross-correlated to assess the structural condition and seismic vulnerability of the tower.