3rd Croatian Conference on Earthquake Engineering 3CroCEE

The recent seismic activity in Croatia has inflicted significant damage on numerous buildings, with masonry structures being especially vulnerable. For the effective rehabilitation and restoration of these structures, it is critical to assess key mechanical properties such as the modulus of elasticity, compressive strength, tensile strength, and shear strength. Conventional methods for determining these properties often involve labour-intensive field tests and laboratory analysis of masonry samples. This paper introduces an innovative methodology that integrates Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) with Finite Element Model Updating (FEMU) to estimate the modulus of elasticity in masonry structures. By leveraging dynamic parameters, including natural frequencies and mode shapes derived from OMA, the methodology allows for the updating of a numerical sub-model of the masonry. This integrated approach was applied to a real structure, with results compared to those obtained using traditional testing methods. The findings indicate that the proposed method is not only more efficient but also yields highly accurate estimations of mechanical properties, particularly the modulus of elasticity, with minimal disruption to the structure. The reduced need for invasive testing, coupled with its precision, positions this approach as a compelling alternative to traditional methods for assessing the structural integrity of masonry buildings following seismic events.