Author(s)

M. Brocato, A. De Domenico & F. Zanghi

Abstract

Ancient buildings need sometimes the supply of reinforcing structures; smart link- age systems between old and new timbers can then provide for the necessary flex- ibility in view of partly indeterminate load conditions. The design of active re- inforcements requires, in particular, the choice of a control policy. Predictions based on available mathematical models being not reliable enough, output feed- back generated controls must eventually be used. Problems of non-linearity and of controllability, due to control constraints, arise. The vault of the Maggior Consiglio Hall in the Duke's Palace of Genoa, though presently supported by an auxiliary truss, undergoes relatively large displacements probably due to temperature variations; the use of stiffer links to reduce these dis- placements may result into high thermal stresses. This problem will be studied here as an example to design a control sys

Keywords