The importance of structural monitoring as a diagnosis and control tool in the restoration process of heritage structures: A case study in Portugal

The paper discusses the monitoring-based approach unfolded to evaluate the health condition of a heritage structure in Portugal. An extensive experimental campaign, including geometric survey, visual inspections, damage diagnosis, monitoring and control, is carried out to support and evaluate the actions undertaken to re-establish the structural strength. The paper focuses on the analysis of case-specific static and dynamic parameters deemed representative of the structural behaviour and highlights the benefits associated with the implementation of a monitoring-weighed methodology in terms of diagnostics of the system’s vulnerabilities as well as control of the effectiveness of the adopted consolidation measures. The results demonstrate the feasibility and suitability of this systematic experimental approach for the non-invasive assessment of the structural fitness of built cultural heritage.