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During the recent decades, the use of non-destructive tests has reached greater attention due to its high versatility and the possibility of extending the investigations on a great number of points. On the other side, the existence of a wide building stock realized in reinforced concrete, which is reaching the end of its service life, has increased the research on the assessment of their safety level. In this field, one of the most important parameters for r.c. structure is the concrete compressive strength, which “classically” is evaluated by means of compression tests on drilled cores. However, usually the extension of such procedure to a high number of points is quite difficult due to logistic and economic reasons. The use of non-destructive tests may overcome these limits, but still needs further investigations to improve the calibration process of the relationship between the acquired data and the compressive strength. The present paper deals with this issue and discusses the results of the investigations on r.c. buildings in Bari (Italy) which make use of both destructive and non-destructive tests. The data are analyzed by considering several test scenarios and by evaluating the variability of parameters related to the calibration process.

In Europe, a significant part of the existing building stock is composed by masonry structures, and, in many cases, these structures are located in seismic areas. They were built based on the empirical expertise of their constructors, and, therefore, are characterised by several construction solutions, different materials, and a high vulnerability to earthquakes. Moreover, during their long service life these buildings have been subjected to damage, degradation, and interventions to adapt them to the new performance demands. All these aspects make quite difficult the evaluation of the safety level of masonry structure, and several approaches are still debated for the definition of accurate numerical models for seismic assessment purpose. The present paper discusses the performed investigations and the defined numerical model for the evaluation of the safety level of a masonry structure characterised by two floors, by the presence of wooden roofs and masonry vaults at the first level, and by a pitched roof whose elements are made of wood. The building is located in a seismic area and is utilised as a church. The analysis of the documentation, the geometrical survey and the visual and experimental investigations have been utilised to define its level of knowledge, and to calibrate a numerical model for vulnerability evaluation.

The conservation of existing masonry buildings has reached a greater attention especially in the Southern Europe, where such structures are widespread, and need a periodic check also because they are the testimony of the history and the architectural progress of these areas. However, the assessment of the earthquake performance level of these structures is rather difficult for many reasons: the lack of information, the high variability of adopted materials and construction techniques, the existence of several interventions occurred during their service life, etc. These circumstances make difficult to define an accurate numerical model of these structures, by which assess their safety level and design possible strengthening and retrofitting. The present research deals with these issues by discussing the non-destructive tests performed on a masonry building in Bari, which in the 1977 was converted in a church and dedicated to San Marco. The San Marco church is an isolated building, whose plan dimensions are 16 m × 23 m, and with a maximum height equal to 10.50m. The church stands in a seismic prone zone and is characterized at the ground level by barrel vaults in some parts and by wooden roofs in the remaining parts, and by a gable roof realized by wood. The experimental investigations are utilized to validate a numerical model of the structure.