LATAM-SHM-2026

Results from long term seismometric monitoring of an ancient Tower in Florence (Italy): the effects produced by natural and cultural transients

  • Azzara, Riccardo Mario (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologi)
  • Trovatelli, Francesco (Università degli Studi di Firenze, DICEA)
  • Viti, Stefania (Università degli studi di Firenze, DIDA)
  • Pino, Nicola Alessandro (Università di Camerino)
  • Tanganelli, Marco (Università degli studi di Firenze, DIDA)

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Florence, located in Central Italy, is one of the most renowned art cities in the world. Among its most iconic landmarks are Palazzo Vecchio and its bell tower, the Torre di Arnolfo. Between 2021 and 2023, the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), in collaboration with the School of Architecture of the University of Florence (DIDA), conducted long-term seismometric monitoring. Up to nine triaxial seismic stations were installed in various configurations within the Palace and along the Tower. Ambient vibration recordings enabled the identification of the Tower’s main modal frequencies and helped distinguish which frequencies were attributable to the Tower itself and which were influenced by the Palace, to which the Tower is rigidly connected up to a height of approximately 35 meters. The buildings are located in a pedestrian area closed to vehicular traffic, thus limiting interference from vehicle-induced vibrations. However, the area surrounding the Tower and Palace is among the most visited by tourists worldwide. The large influx of people, both outside and inside the buildings, generates vibrations at specific times of day, clearly affecting seismic recordings in terms of both oscillation amplitude and variations in modal frequencies. Continuous recording also allowed for the evaluation of changes in modal parameters and their correlation with locally monitored environmental variables such as air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and direction. The extended duration of the monitoring campaign provided an opportunity to observe the effects of particularly energetic transient events on modal parameters, including earthquakes, bell-induced vibrations, and extreme weather phenomena. The results were interpreted in light of current regulations and represent a valuable dataset for assessing the structural vulnerability to sudden energy transients and estimating potential fatigue caused by cyclic loading.