Coupled Deformation and Structural Analysis for the Damage Assessment of Cultural Heritage Buildings: The Case of a Masonry Church Exposed to Slow-Moving Landslides

This paper presents the structural damage assessment of Nostra Signora della Bastia sanctuary, a historic masonry church located in the Liguria region (Italy) in an area affected by slow-moving landslides. The church exhibits extensive cracking and large deformations, which are mostly localized in the central and lateral naves. To identify the causes of damage and deformations, structural analysis was carried out in combination with crack-pattern surveys, laser scanner surveys and deformation analysis. The deformation analysis suggested potential causes of damage and allowed damage mechanisms to be preliminary identified. Following what emerged from the deformation analysis, graphic static and kinematic analyses were performed to assess the structural safety of the most damaged elements of the church. Although the graphic analyses indicated the presence of further causes of damage, they provided further insight into the structural response of the church, showing the potential offered by the combined use of deformation and structural analyses for the structural damage assessment of historic masonry structures.