Soil structure interaction on the dynamic behavior of two historic masonry structures

The interaction between soil and structure (SSI) is a typical issue of structural and geotechnical engineering, still open regarding its practical implications. Further investigation is actually required to develop simplified but reliable methods to account for SSI in routine structural analyses. A multidisciplinary approach for assessing the seismic vulnerability of heritage masonry buildings is described throughout the paper. The procedure is applied to two specific case studies that represent very common typology of masonry buildings in Italy: Bosco-Lucarelli Palace in Benevento and the Bell Tower of the Carmine Church in Naples. The seismic vulnerability of the two monuments was assessed after the following steps: (a) historical investigation about the structure and the surrounding area, (b) detailed geometrical survey, (c) identification of materials by means of surveys and literature indications, (d) dynamic in-situ tests, (e) foundation soil characterization, (f) dynamic identification of the structure by means of a refined Finite Element (FE) model. Finally, the effect of soil-structure interaction on the dynamic behavior (namely, fundamental frequencies and vibration modes) of the two structures is discussed