Non-destructive testing and Finite Element Method integrated procedure for heritage diagnosis: The Seville Cathedral case study

Abstract

One of the major problems faced by historic cities today involves the conservation of heritage buildings. Damage suffered by these buildings can be irreversible and fast-acting, leading to their disappearance over a short period. The study and analysis of the origin of the damage suffered by these buildings have proved themselves to be key to their conservation. Non-destructive testing (NDT) can detect problems indiscernible to the naked eye, thereby preventing potential losses. In this paper, a non-invasive method for the diagnosis of building structures integrated with the Finite Element Method (FEM) was applied to the Tabernacle Chapel; a building included in the northwest wing of the Cathedral of Seville complex. Despite the many interventions carried out to date, the issue of the chapel's deterioration has yet to be entirely solved. This research describes the results of a detailed constructive and structural diagnosis methodology for heritage buildings. The data provided from NDT methods, such as Digital Image Processing (DIP), Infrared Thermography (IRT), Laser Levelling (LL), Ambient Vibration Testing (AVT), and Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR), has been verified and integrated as boundary conditions in a 3D Finite Element Method (FEM) in order to establish the critical points of the structure, including the failure mechanisms. The results led to the conclusion that the main causes of deterioration involved the settling of the grandstand built in the northwest sector of the building and the effects of the thrusts of the dome on the lateral façades. An integrated implementation methodology of NDT and FEM has enabled accurate knowledge to be ascertained of the principal damage affecting this heritage building.

Multi-Criteria Parametric Verifications for Stability Diagnosis of Rammed-Earth Historic Urban Ramparts Working as Retaining Walls

“…Even though Seville is not a high seismic activity in a worldwide context, it has been struck by several earthquakes throughout history. Among them, the 1755 Lisbon earthquake can be highlighted, leaving about 10 people dead and causing severe damage to many ancient buildings such as the Salvador Church and the Cathedral [34]. For this reason, two design situations have been considered for geotechnical verifications of the case study: (i) persistent situation, which corresponds to the usual condition of use; and (ii) seismic situation, which includes the exceptional condition caused by an earthquake.…”

“…Only drained conditions have been considered for the geotechnical verifications. From previous investigations, the properties assumed for both materials are shown in Table 4 [34].…”

Close-Range Sensing and Data Fusion for Built Heritage Inspection and Monitoring—A Review

“…Close-range sensing-based methods (including techniques for geometric recording) employed for built heritage surveys are often considered as separate practices. However, their integration enhances the interpretation of the state of preservation, as many evaluation methods can act complementarily [7][8][9][10][11][12]. We should also note that imparting spatial properties to nondestructive evaluation methods allows for better interpretation and visualization of the state of preservation, while facilitating the spatial fusion of multisensor data [13][14][15].…”

Delineation of Fractures Using a 2D GPR Processing Strategy for 3D Imaging: Weak Zones within Carbonates at the Archaeological Site of Xochicalco in Mexico

“…GPR has been extensively used for the study of cultural heritage sites [20][21][22]. Herein, we present the use of GPR data multipath summation on data acquired over parallel study lines, within the framework of a study on the effects of natural hazards on cultural heritage areas in order to image weak zones within carbonates, such as fractures and caverns.…”