DYNAMIC IDENTIFICATION AND DIGITAL TWIN DEVELOPMENT FOR A ROMAN MASONRY BRIDGE: A METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH

Structural analysis of ancient masonry bridges is one of the most challenging issues related to the conservation of cultural heritage. To preserve their historical value, it is necessary to develop innovative non-destructive testing methodologies that can assess the structural health state of these structures. This paper proposes an integrated dynamic identification procedure of a Roman masonry bridge, which is located near Ascoli Satriano (Italy), addressing the state of the art toward the Digital Twin framework. The experimental campaign, in which both OMA and EMA techniques were combined, has made it possible to identify the dynamic behavior of the bridge under both environmental and forced excitation. Testing was performed using a network of 24 properly located accelerometers to capture the global dynamic response of the structure. In order to allow for an accurate characterization of the modal parameters of the structure, environmental vibration measurements are complemented by impact hammer testing. A preliminary finite element model (FEM) has also been prepared for the interpretation of the experimental results and to serve as a foundation for subsequent updating procedures. In particular, the research methodology will follow a progression through phases that go from basic dynamic identification to the application of more sophisticated digital monitoring approaches. The proposed approach aims to bridge the gap between traditional dynamic testing methods and modern digital twin applications in the context of historical structures. This paper presents the initial phase of this comprehensive study, which focuses on the following aspects.