Base isolation for retrofitting historic buildings: Evaluation of seismic performance through experimental investigation

An experimental test program on a full-scale model representing a sub-assem blage of the cloister facade of the Sao Vicente de Fora monastery, retrofit ted through base isolation, has been recently carried out at the European L aboratory for Structural Assessment of the Joint Research Centre of the Eur opean Commission. In this paper an overview of the laboratory model and the experimental results is provided. In particular, firstly the test model is described, including the geometry and mechanical properties of the masonry specimen and the design of the isolation devices; then the testing method and the substructuring of the isolation system are described and the seismi c inputs adopted for the pseudo-dynamic tests are defined. Finally, the exp erimental results are discussed and compared to the analogous results obtai ned on the 'as is', fixed-base sub-assemblage model. The implications of th e test outcomes are emphasized and developments of this research line are p resented. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.