Structural monitoring for the evaluation of the dynamic response of historical monuments

The paper illustrates the application of the structural monitoring for the evaluation of the dynamic behaviour of two monuments, the stone tomb of Cansignorio della Scala in Verona, Italy, and the Qutb Minar in Delhi, India. Both systems have been conceived to acquire ambient vibrations, to evaluate the dynamic response of the monuments, and for the recording of seismic events. The control of the dynamic behaviour is related to the local environmental conditions. In addition, a limited number of displacement transducers are placed across the most significant cracks of the monuments, to evaluate the possible damage evolution. The stone tomb of Cansignorio della Scala is part of a monumental funerary complex in gothic style located in the centre of Verona. The Qutb minar, 72.5 m tall, located in the city centre of New Delhi, is particularly sensitive to wind actions, therefore an anemometer was placed on the top of the tower. The evaluation of the results of the monitoring will permit to detect possible variations in the assessed structural functioning. The final goal is to obtain, through the experimental calibration, detailed FE structural models to simulate the response of the monuments to different external actions, assessing their safety state.