Evaluation of a MEMS-based sensing unit for structural health monitoring: results on a medieval tower

Structural health monitoring (SHM) is a field that relies on different methodologies to develop procedures that characterize the dynamic properties of physical structures to identify possible deteriorations of their behaviors. SHM systems include usually a data acquisition subsystem suitable for recording the structure response to ambient or external excitations. The recorded data are then analyzed in order to characterize the dynamic properties of the considered structure. This paper describes some tests performed by means of a new advanced SHM system, the Teleco SHM602, on a truncated middle-age tower presently included in an ancient palace of the XVI century located in the central part of Bologna. These tests rely on models obtained by means of standard and advanced identification techniques.