Dynamic changes on a masonry cross vault after a forced damage

This work shows the preliminary results related to the evaluation of the dynamic behavior of a 5x5 m masonry cross vault after undergoing different changes in its structural behavior. It has been built using solid clay bricks and lime and sand mortar. The cross vault has been built in the laboratory specifically for carrying out these tests and evaluating its structural behavior. A device has been designed to be able to carry out a controlled settling of one of its supports without causing an instantaneous collapse of the structure. Dynamic identification using OMA was performed by installing seismic accelerometers at several selected points on the structure, using ARTEMIS software to analyze the results. The evolution of the dynamic characteristics was carried out in four different states: (i) After construction (ii) After the generation of generalized damage through the forced settlement of one of its supports. (iii) After repair using Textile Reinforced Mortars (TRM) (iv) After generating new damage by settling one of its supports in the TRM repaired structure. After the generation of the damage in the structure, important cracks are observed in various points of the structure, although no situation was reached that would foresee a possible collapse. The repair with TRM has consisted of the introduction of fiberglass mesh bands coated in lime and sand mortar. These bands have been arranged forming a cross in the upper part of the structure and in all the edge arches of the structure. In all these phases the OMA was developed under a situation of ambient vibrations, where these vibrations levels were very low due to the situation inside of a laboratory. After each of these phases, their main frequencies, their vibration modes and the structural damping factor of each of the identified modes have been obtained. It is observed how a loss of rigidity of the vault occurs after the production of damage and how it completely recovers by means of reinforcement and repair