A Parametric Scan-to-FEM Framework for the Digital Twin Generation of Historic Masonry Structures

Marco Francesco Funari, Ameer Emad Hajjat, Maria Giovanna Masciotta, Daniel V. Oliveira and Paulo B. Lourenço
Additional contact information
Marco Francesco Funari: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minho, ISISE, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Ameer Emad Hajjat: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minho, ISISE, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Maria Giovanna Masciotta: Department of Engineering and Geology, University «G. d’Annunzio» of Chieti-Pescara, 65127 Pescara PE, Italy
Daniel V. Oliveira: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minho, ISISE, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Paulo B. Lourenço: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minho, ISISE, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 19, 1-22

Abstract: Historic masonry buildings are characterised by uniqueness, which is intrinsically present in their building techniques, morphological features, architectural decorations, artworks, etc. From the modelling point of view, the degree of detail reached on transforming discrete digital representations of historic buildings, e.g., point clouds, into 3D objects and elements strongly depends on the final purpose of the project. For instance, structural engineers involved in the conservation process of built heritage aim to represent the structural system rigorously, neglecting architectural decorations and other details. Following this principle, the software industry is focusing on the definition of a parametric modelling approach, which allows performing the transition from half-raw survey data (point clouds) to geometrical entities in nearly no time. In this paper, a novel parametric Scan-to-FEM approach suitable for architectural heritage is presented. The proposed strategy uses the Generative Programming paradigm implementing a modelling framework into a visual programming environment. Such an approach starts from the 3D survey of the case-study structure and culminates with the definition of a detailed finite element model that can be exploited to predict future scenarios. This approach is appropriate for architectural heritage characterised by symmetries, repetition of modules and architectural orders, making the Scan-to-FEM transition fast and efficient. A Portuguese monument is adopted as a pilot case to validate the proposed procedure. In order to obtain a proper digital twin of this structure, the generated parametric model is imported into an FE environment and then calibrated via an inverse dynamic problem, using as reference metrics the modal properties identified from field acceleration data recorded before and after a retrofitting intervention. After assessing the effectiveness of the strengthening measures, the digital twin ability of reproducing past and future damage scenarios of the church is validated through nonlinear static analyses.

Keywords: scan-to-FEM; generative programming; masonry structures; FEM; digital twin (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/19/11088/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/19/11088/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:19:p:11088-:d:651327

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().