Author(s)

L. Binda, L. Cantini, M. Lualdi, C. Tedeschi, A. Saisi & L. Zanzi

Abstract

This paper presents and discusses the preliminary results of the investigations carried out by the authors on a Castle, considered as case histories within a project financed by the EC (project EVK4-2001-00091 ONSITEFORMASONRY), coordinated by C. Maierhofer of BAM. An extensive investigation programme (including sonic, radar, thermovision, flat jack, coring, boroscopy, etc.) has been planned to support the preservation and restoration actions of the Castles. The experience shows the importance of a project for the investigation in order to select the most relevant strategies and tests for each specific problem. Keywords: NDT, masonry, diagnosis, on site tests. 1 Introduction An extensive investigation programme was set up and applied to the Castle of Avio near Trento, Italy (Fig. 1), in order to arrive at a reliable diagnosis of the damages, which affect the complex construction. The research was also part of a project financed by the EC (project EVK4- 2001-00091 ONSITEFORMASONRY coordinated by C. Maierhofer of BAM) and finalised to the evaluation of the perfomance of on-site investigation techniques for the structural evaluation of historic masonry buildings. The tests were finalised to study specific problems individuated by the responsible of the restoration design. In general, the objective of the investigation was the evaluation of the structural problems, which affect the Castle, i.e. passing through cracks, bulging and out of plumb of load bearing walls. The investigation was extended to the characterisation of the masonry and the control of the local state of stress and of the stress-strain behaviour [1].

Keywords

NDT, masonry, diagnosis, on site tests.