Bayesian Approaches for Damage Identification of a Historic Masonry Tower

A Bayesian approach successfully identified structural damage in the Torre Grossa, a 60-meter-tall medieval masonry tower in San Gimignano, Italy. This method integrated diverse data sources—static and dynamic Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems alongside detailed cracking pattern surveys—to quantify uncertainties and model inadequacies, providing a reliable computational framework for assessing historic buildings' performance under exceptional loads. The study highlights the Torre Grossa's unique challenges, including its multi-leaf stone masonry walls with heterogeneous internal cores and integration into an adjacent building, offering insights applicable to other historic structures.

Bartoli, G., Monchetti, S., Viscardi, C., Betti, M., & Zini, G. (2025). BAYESIAN APPROACHES FOR DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION OF A HISTORIC MASONRY TOWER. International Association for Earthquake Engineering. https://doi.org/10.71846/18-WCEE-0357