The Use of NDT Diagnostic Methods and Calculations in Assessing the Masonry Tower Crowned with the Steel Dome

Materials (Basel). 2022 Oct 15;15(20):7196. doi: 10.3390/ma15207196.

Abstract

Non-destructive testing (NDT) methods are a diagnostic tool for evaluating the risk of failure or the need for repair and renovation. In analyzing constructions of high historical value, destructive diagnostic methods should be avoided. This study is a comprehensive NDT investigation of the masonry tower topped with a steel dome, a remnant of the overhead telecommunications network from the end of the 19th century. Visual inspection and research made it possible to assess the degree of damage to the structure. Stress-strain state analysis showed the sufficient load-bearing capacity of the steel dome. In addition, calculations have shown that the masonry tower is subjected to significant horizontal forces causing structure cracks.

Keywords: cultural heritage; hardness testing; historic structures; non-destructive technique; steel dome; ultrasonic testing; visual inspection.

Grants and funding

This publication was supported by the own resources of the Department of Building Structures at the Silesian University of Technology.