Application of structural isolation and health monitoring

The paper describes the seismic retrofit (carried out in the period February-March 2006) of the “Our Lady of Tears Shrine” in Syracuse (Italy), made substituting the bearings supporting its impressive truncated-conical dome with sliding seismic isolators equipped with elasto-plastic dissipators. After an accurate description of the construction and of its new anti-seismic devices, installed between the dome and its 22 supporting columns, the dome raising and lowering phases, together with the instrumentation and data acquired during the operations, are reported in detail. The improving of the structural behaviour after seismic retrofit is demonstrated through the results of a numerical investigation of the Sanctuary under seismic excitation. Finally, the rehabilitation and reactivation of the pre-existent continuous monitoring system of the temple is examined in the last part of the paper. The structure has been recently included among those of the Italian network of buildings and bridges permanently monitored by the Italian Department of Civil Protection within the Seismic Observatory of Structures (OSS).