In-Situ Measurements for the Structural Monitoring of Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze (Italy): Preliminary Results of the Tribuna

The paper introduces recent results of experimental activities carried out on the Tribuna of the Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze (Italy) where the Michelangelo’s David is exhibited to the public. The work aims to investigate the dynamic behaviour of the Tribuna through the analysis of the accelerations measured by two triaxial stations roving in different positions. The experimental layout, in terms of instruments choice and its position, was carefully designed by considering both the architectonic features of the structure and the masterpieces collected in the Tribuna, such as paintings and sculptures which could not be moved during the measurements. The investigation activity was performed in the framework of a wider research project co-founded by Tuscany Region and Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze with the aim to preserve the museum complex and the works of art inside. A computational model is herein proposed to illustrate the process of calibration, and its advantages in terms of model reliability, through the comparison between the experimental results and the model output itself. More in detail, the research deal with the issue related to the analyses of a portion of the structure, extracted from the whole complex, and the boundary conditions which need to be assigned in order to represent the actual interaction with the surrounding buildings. The workflow discussed in this paper, and applied to the case study of Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze, represents a meaningful test bench from drawing general remarks on the topic of historical museum complex conservation.