ABSTRACT
Structural response of masonry vaults is closely connected with their geometric shape. LiDAR scanning has created a new possibility for a fast surveying of their complex geometry. The aim of this paper is to investigate the use of an approximated surface created from a registered point cloud to develop a structural model for the fast analysis of masonry vaults. The study combines scanning with LiDAR sensor, automatic surface reconstruction methods and structural analysis with the finite element method. The results highlight that the simplified models created in a short time, although preliminary, allow to give important results on the structural response of masonry vaults as the magnitude of forces in the system, the force flow or damage predictions. The elements of a future methodology are developed alongside the case of the church of St. Marta, located in the town of Arona, in the shores of Lake Maggiore in Italy.
