Rosario Ceravolo

The Peridynamic (PD) theory is a modern nonlocal (nonlinear, elastic /inelastic, with-out/with me...mory) theory able to deal with long-range forces and discontinuity in materials. For this reason the theory is suitable for the monitoring of masonry structures.

In the case of heritage buildings, non-invasive techniques are of paramount interest, especially ...those that can exploit the natural vibration of the structure. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) can play an important role in the preservation of architectural heritage, especially when it can support a rapid and reliable assessment of structural damage and degradation.

Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs) have been proved to be via-ble to detect damage-induc...ed shifts in the frequency content of structures subjected to external forces. Nevertheless, the Melodic (Mel) Scale is a per-ceptual feature, roughly based on human perception and originally formulat-ed to resemble the biological mechanisms of the auditory apparatus. Thus, its straight application to non-auditive acquisition systems may be misleading.

This paper presents the results of the dynamic tests conducted on a historical reinforced concrete arch bridge located in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, in the province of Parma (Italy). The design of the sensors location was determined in order to investigate the possible separation into bodies operated by the joints between the different spans. The ambient vibration data allowed the dynamic characterization of the 3-span arch bridge with the total length of 146 m and 18 m in width.