Experimental investigations and numerical modelling: a fruitful interaction for the nonlinear dynamical analysis of masonry structures

This paper describes the experiments carried out on a medieval masonry tower in the historic centre of Lucca and some finite element numerical simulations of the tower's experimental response. The Guinigi Tower, one of the most iconic monuments in Lucca, has been continuously monitored by high-sensitive seismic stations that recorded the structure's response to the dynamic actions of the surrounding environment. The monitoring campaign results have been analysed to show the effectiveness of dynamic monitoring as a valuable source of information on the structural properties of the tower. The dynamic analyses of the tower and the surrounding palace subjected to some seismic events recorded during the experiments have highlighted the capabilities of experiment-based finite element modelling. The calibration of the finite element model and the numerical analysis have been carried out by resorting to procedures developed at ISTI-CNR and able to consider the nonlinear behaviour of masonry materials.