Assessment of vibration reduction on the Baptistery of San Giovanni in Florence (Italy) after vehicular traffic block

A novel microwave interferometer has been employed to remotely detect the power of oscillations induced by vehicular traffic on the dome of the celebrated historical Baptistery of S. Giovanni, Florence, Italy. The measurement has been carried out to assess the structure oscillations reduction after the ordinance issued by the Major of Florence forbidding all kind of vehicular traffic in the square around the Baptistery starting from October 25, 2009. The dome oscillations power measurement has been recorded continuously for two weeks starting one week before the traffic block. In order to validate the acquired data, a FEM simulation on a numerical model of the structure has been performed.