Abstract :
The present paper deals with the evaluation of
the seismic vulnerability of slender historical buildings;
these structures, in fact, may manifest a high risk with
respect to seismic actions as usually they have been
designed to resist to gravitational loads only, and are
characterized by a high flexibility. To evaluate this
behavior, the bell tower of the Trani’s Cathedral is investigated.
The tower is 57 m tall and is characterized by an
unusual building typology, i.e., the walls are composed of a
concrete core coupled with external masonry stones. The
dynamic parameters and the mechanical properties of the
tower have been evaluated on the basis of an extensive
experimental campaign that made use of ambient vibration
tests and ground penetrating radar tests. Such data have
been utilized to calibrate a numerical model of the examined
tower. A linear static analysis, a dynamic analysis and
a nonlinear static analysis have been carried out on such
model to evaluate the displacement capacity of the tower
and the seismic risk assessment in accordance with the
Italian guidelines.
