Dynamic investigation on the Mirandola bell tower in post-earthquake scenarios

After the seismic events of the 20th and 29th of May 2012 in Emilia (Italy), most of the monumental and historic buildings of the area were severely damaged. In a few structures, partial collapse mechanisms were observed (e.g. façade tilting, out-of-plane overturning of panels…). This paper presents the case-study of the bell tower of the Santa Maria Maggiore cathedral, located in Mirandola (Italy). The dynamic response of the structure was evaluated through operational modal analysis using ambient vibrations, a consolidated non-destructive procedure that estimates the dynamic parameters of the bell-tower. The dynamic tests were carried out in pre-intervention and post-intervention conditions in order to understand the sensitivity of dynamic measurements to safety interventions. Furthermore, a comparative study is made with similar cases of undamaged masonry towers up to the 6th mode. Finally, an investigation on the state of connections and of the building itself is carried out via FE model updating

Ivnones: An approach to their personality and geography of cult

The epigraphic expression of plural female divinities, represented sometimes in triads, is a feature of Romano-Celtic realms. This is the case of the Matres and Matronae, as well as the Fortunae, with epithets expressing the local identity of the divine personality – or of their cult group – in an increasingly globalized world such as the Roman Empire. In this context, my aim is to focus on the Iunones. We have about 70 inscriptions dedicated to these deities, sometimes appearing with the epitet Augustae, others as Matronae, Montanae, Domesticae, Suleviae, associated with other deities such as IOM, Hercules, Genius Loci or the Augustorum Numina, or assimilated to the Gabiae. The sacred geography of the Iunones includes Italy (with a higher density in Venetia and Histria, but with manifestations in Transpadana, Umbria, Aemilia, Latium and Campania), but they are also testamented in diverse provinces of Celtic tradition, such as Germania Inferior, Noricum, Belgium, Aquitania, Lugdunensis or Narbonensis. The analysis of individual or collective dedicants, the activities commemorated in the altars, and the processes that make visible – at a regional or local level – these goddesses in theonyms related to the Roman Iuno, are the aims of this paper

First results of long-term monitoring of Portico Varano in the Camerino Ducal Palace (Italy)

Portico Varano in the Ducal Palace of Camerino (Italy) is a Renaissance monumental quadriporticus that was severely damaged by the Central Italy earthquakes in 2016. Within the field activities for saving cultural heritage foreseen within a recent European research project, a long-term static and dynamic monitoring system was installed in October 2020. Through a series of accelerometers, the monitoring system allows to track the evolution of the modal parameters of the structure, namely frequency, damping ratio and modal shapes, and investigate the effects of environmental conditions on the building dynamics. Furthermore, a series of displacement transducers installed on the vaults of the courtyard allows controlling the evolution of the crack patterns. In this paper, the design and installation of the monitoring system as well as some first results are presented and discussed

Accurate coil springs axial and transverse stiffness measurements with multicomponent testing machines

Accurate characterization of coil springs, typically in terms of axial and transverse stiffness, is crucial in many applications, in particular in automotive engineering, such as suspensions, vibration reduction, seating, exhaust valves, gear engagement controls, transmission hose, fuel panels, car trunks, and engine hoods. These measurements are usually performed in spring testing machines along the vertical axis in quasi-static conditions. However, when springs are stressed along the main vertical axis, side forces, bending and torsion moments are generated, thus have to be evaluated. For this reason, a hexapod-shaped multicomponent force and moment transducer has been recently devised, realized and integrated into standard spring testing machines capable to measure the displacement along the main and transverse axes. In this way, forces, moments and displacement components generated by the springs can be measured and axial and transverse stiffness derived. In this work, two multicomponent spring testing machines with the hexapod-shaped force and moment transducer are described and measurements on different large coil springs are presented

Dynamic monitoring of ancient masonry towers: Environmental effects on natural frequencies

Masonry towers are very common Cultural Heritage buildings in Italy, where churches and bell-towers were built even in smaller towns and a large number of defensive towers dates back to Middle Age. Since ancient towers exhibit a cantilever-like dynamic behavior and are usually sensitive to ambient excitation, such as micro-tremors and wind, a successful dynamic monitoring of these structures can be obtained by permanently installing a few high-sensitivity accelerometers in the upper part of the building. Hence, the idea of performing cost-effective vibration-based Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of historic towers has been taking shape recently. On the other hand, the use of a limited number of sensors and automated operational modal analysis in SHM often implies the choice of resonant frequencies as damage sensitive features, although modal frequencies are also affected by factors other than structural changes in a way that is likely more significant than variations induced by a small damage. In order to highlight the possible effects of changing temperature on the dynamic characteristics of masonry towers, especially in view of the removal of those effects needed for an effective performance assessment, the paper focuses on selected results obtained by continuously monitoring the dynamic response of three historic towers in Italy

Assessing Mental Pain as a Predictive Factor of Suicide Risk in a Clinical Sample of Patients with Psychiatric Disorders

According to contemporary suicidology, mental pain represents one of the main suicide risk factors, along with more traditional constructs such as depression, anxiety and hopelessness. This work aims to investigate the relationship between the levels of mental pain and the risk to carry out suicide or suicide attempt in the short term in order to understand if a measurement of mental pain can be used as a screening tool for prevention. For this purpose, 105 outpatients with psychiatric diagnosis were recruited at the university hospital of Varese during a check-up visit and were assessed by using psychometric scales of mental pain levels, hopelessness, anxiety and depression. Clinical and sociodemographic variables of the sample were also collected. A period of 18 months following the recruitment was observed to evaluate any suicides or attempted suicides. Subjects numbering 11 out of 105 committed an attempted suicide. From statistical analyses, high values of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Mental Pain Questionnaire (OMMP) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) scales showed a significant association with the risk of carrying out a suicide attempt and, among these, OMMP and BDI-II showed characteristics of good applicability and predictivity proving suitable to be used as potential tools for screening and primary prevention of suicidal behavior

Self-selection effects in smokers attending lung cancer screening: a 9.5-year population-based cohort study in Varese, Italy.

BACKGROUND:: We hypothesize that mortality risk profile of participants and nonparticipants in nonrandomized lung cancer (LC) screening of smokers may be different. METHODS:: In 1997, a population-based cohort of 5815 smokers of Varese Province was invited to nonrandomized LC screening by annual chest x-ray examination for 4 years. LC risk factors and screening participation rate were recorded. Except for screening, the whole cohort received usual care. After 9.5-year observation, we compared mortality of participants versus nonparticipants by assessing age-standardized all-cause mortality rate ratio (MRR) and disease group-specific MRR with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). RESULTS:: Self-selected screening participants were 21% of cohort. Participants were younger (p < 0.001), were more frequently current smokers (p = 0.019), had more pack-years of smoking (p < 0.0001), and had higher rate of LC family history (p < 0.0001) and of occupational LC risk (p < 0.0001) relative to nonparticipants. In logistic regression analysis familial LC, occupational risk and pack-years smoked were significant predictors of participation in screening and of developing LC. Participants displayed a healthy effect, as shown by all-cause MRR = 0.67 (95% CI, 0.53-0.84), all cancers except LC MRR = 0.61 (95% CI, 0.41-0.91), cardiovascular diseases MRR = 0.38 (95% CI, 0.22-0.63), and noncancer disease other than cardiovascular or respiratory MRR = 0.57 (95% CI, 0.34-0.92). The LC mortality (MRR = 1.40; 95% CI, 1.03-1.91) was higher in participants relative to nonparticipants (p = 0.031). CONCLUSION:: The selection effect in LC screening participants was dual: healthy effect and higher LC mortality. In assessing the overall effectiveness of LC screening on a population level, a higher LC mortality risk in participants should be considered

E. Torroja's bridge: Tailored experimental setup for SHM of a historical bridge with a reduced number of sensors

This paper presents the design of an experimental setup with a reduced number of sensors for the structural health monitoring of the historical bridge of Posadas (Córdoba, Spain), designed by the eminent engineer Eduardo Torroja in 1957. The motivation of this study stems from the need for safeguarding this piece of cultural heritage. In particular, the singularity of this historical construction, a steel–concrete composite typology consisting of a concrete deck slab and inverted bowstring steel trusses, makes continuous in-service condition assessment essential for its maintenance. Nevertheless, the application of existing continuous monitoring systems to such large-scale structures entails considerable investments as well as complex signal processing algorithms. Whereby the optimization of the number of sensors and their location is of the utmost interest. In this line, this work presents the application of an Optimal Sensor Placement (OSP) methodology to tailor an experimental setup for a cost-efficient continuous monitoring of the E. Torroja’s bridge. Due to the fact that most OSP approaches are model-based, it is essential to count on a sufficiently accurate numerical model. To this aim, an extensive vibration-based operational modal analysis is first conducted with a large number of accelerometers. Afterward, a three-dimensional finite element model of the E. Torroja’s bridge is updated on the basis of the experimentally identified dynamic properties with a genetic optimization algorithm. Finally, an optimal sensor placement methodology is utilized to design an experimental setup with a limited number of sensors for long-term monitoring purposes. The results demonstrate that few sensors are needed to accurately assess the main resonant frequencies and mode shapes.Versión aceptad

MSW management in two italian mountainous areas

Two case studies are reported in the present work. They regard municipal solid waste (MSW) management trends in the last decades in two Italian provinces selected to analyse some issues of waste management in mountainous areas. The first case study refers to a selective collection (SC) rate expected to reach 80 % soon. This scenario assumes SC mainly in kerbside mode. The scenario is based on specific local conditions: the absence of a thermo-chemical plant in the territory (but with a part of the residual MSW burnt in a neighbour province), the presence of local plant of anaerobic, and a sanitary landfill for pre-treated residual MSW. The adopted tariff helped increasing the SC rate: indeed, since 2013, a tariff calculated at user level, depending on the behaviour of each user, has been adopted. This is called punctual tariff. The second case study concerns an area where SC reached about 75 %. The punctual tariff has been recently introduced. In this scenario, an incineration plant and a Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) plant allow implementing an industrial symbiosis solution in conjunction with a cement factory. The work demonstrates that SC can be the core of a correct MSW management and that kerbside collection is fully compatible with mountainous area. However, other issues remain to be optimized yet: the low density of mountain areas makes difficult to implement enhanced solutions of SC (e.g. for diapers) and increases costs for light packaging collection; moreover, the presence of tourist fluxes can significantly affect SC efficiency