Carmine Bell Tower in Napoli: Prediction of soil–structure interaction under seismic actions

Evidence of damage induced by past and recent earthquakes in Italy testify to the seismicvulnerability of masonry towers, especially when founded on soft soils.A significant case study is representedby the 68 m-high Carmine Bell Tower, located in the coastal area of Napoli’s urban centre. The structure,the foundation and the subsoil of the tower were thoroughly investigated through field and laboratory testsand dynamic monitoring. Nonlinear seismic response analyses of the soil–foundation–structure system werecarried out on a full dynamic 3D model, forwhich the parameterswere accurately calibrated from experimentaldata. Because the tower stands between a church and a friary, the effect of the lateral constraints exerted bythe neighbouring structures was numerically investigated. The lateral constraint imposed along the towerwas found to strongly affect the seismic response of the system, as it changes the position and the time ofoccurrence of the plastic hinging that takes place in the structure or the foundations. Finally, the foundationsafety was assessed by comparing the evolution of base forces to the failure locus.