FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSES FOR SEISMIC PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF HISTORICAL MASONRY BUILDINGS: THE CASE OF OMAR TOSON PALACE (CAIRO, EGYPT)

This paper presents experimental and numerical investigation of a historical masonry building, Omar Toson palace, subjected to static and earthquake loading in order to assess its structural behaviour and seismic vulnerability with respect to its actual state of conservation. The static behaviour and the dynamic properties of the Palace have been evaluated using the finite element modelling technique, taking into consideration all the geometrical and material nonlinearities, in order to investigate the seismic behaviour of the structure by means of nonlinear analysis. A macro-modelling approach has been used based on the concepts of homogenisated material and smeared cracking and crushing constitutive law. The calculations took the values for external loads, earthquake and displacement into consideration. A full 3D non-linear time-history analysis of the entire structure has been done in order to correctly assess the seismic vulnerability of the palace. The numerical analysis has given a valuable picture of possible damage evolution and provides a basic understanding of the structural performance under seismic loads that can support the selection of possible retrofitting measures.