Seismic response of a small-scale masonry groin vault: experimental investigation by performing quasi-static and shake table tests

The seismic safety assessment of 3D complex structural elements of historic buildings, such as groin and rib vaults, is a challenge and experimental tests can provide relevant data for this purpose. This paper presents the results of two experimental campaigns about a reduced scale 3D printed vault characterized by asymmetric boundary conditions. The specimen adopted the square plan geometry of groin vault and was made of polymeric bricks with radial joints, orthogonally woven at the barrel intersection. The seismic behaviour of the vault was studied through physical modelling: quasi-static using actuators and dynamic using a shake-table. In particular, an incremental dynamic analysis up to the collapse of the vault was carried out. The results obtained experimentally were analysed in terms of damage, collapse mechanisms, ultimate displacements, and response spectrum-based analysis.