Seismic Assessment of Artefacts: The Case of Juno's Fountain of the National Museum of Bargello

Abstract

Earthquakes represent huge risks for cultural heritage. Although there is a large literature about prevention on historical buildings, the seismic assessment on collections and exhibition designs is usually underestimated. "RESIMUS" long running project involves different knowledge and fields; its goal is to prevent seismic damages to museum collections and artefacts, combining both museographical solutions and anti-seismic methods. This contribution focuses on the "Fontana di Giunone", designed in 1555 by Bartolomeo Ammannati and currently kept at the Museo Nazionale del Bargello. The museographical and historical researches have been combined with the seismic performance of the reconstructed Fountain. In this paper the first results provided by the seismic analysis of this artefact are shown. A 3D structural model has been set, based on the three dimensional digital model provided by an detailed laser scanner survey. An elastic dynamic analysis has been performed, by representing the seismic input through an ensemble of seven ground motions expressing the seismic hazard of the area. The analysis has provided the seismic response of the sculptures, evidencing its sensitivity to the dynamic properties of the considered ground motions.