NUMERICAL MODELLING AND SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION OF A HISTORIC MASONRY STRUCTURE IN HISTORIC CAIRO USING DYNAMIC INVESTIGATION TESTS

Abstract

Historic Cairo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. It has a large number (more than 600) of historic structures. This in turn requires much studies and research to conserve these structures for their cultural, religious and economic values. This thesis studies the dynamic behavior of Fatima Khatun, a historic mausoleum in Historic Cairo dating back to the 13th c. and constructed from brick and stone masonries. A preliminary finite element model was created employing a detailed architectural documentation, material survey and visual inspection. The brick and stone physical and mechanical properties were estimated based on in-situ sampling and laboratory tests. Dynamic identification tests were carried out and followed by system identification to characterize the dynamic properties of the structure (natural frequencies, mode shapes and damping ratios). Numerical model updating was carried out to match the obtained experimental dynamic properties. The obtained updated model could be employed in further studies for the structural safety assessment.