Reliable Assessment of Historic Structures: a Prerequisite for Adequate Interventions

Abstract eng:
During the last decades, the international research community has devoted significant effort to the development of new investigation techniques, as well as to the improvement of existing methods to assist the assessment of cultural heritage assets, whereas experimental campaigns offer new data regarding the behaviour of masonry elements, subassemblies and entire structures. On the other hand, several computer codes are being developed or existing ones are adapted to the needs of the analysis of historic structures. Nevertheless, the education of Structural Engineers is still oriented towards the design of new (mainly RC and steel and-marginally-masonry) structures, thus neglecting several aspects of the behaviour of the so-called “non-engineered” structures. In case of historic structures, the current average state of knowledge may lead to either devastating (and not needed) or to unsafe interventions. Typical (positive and negative) examples are presented with the aim to demonstrate that the (as complete as possible) survey of the bearing system of the structure and the survey of damages and their qualitative and quantitative interpretation are necessary for a reliable assessment of the historic structure and, hence, a prerequisite for the selection of adequate schemes of interventions.

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