Damage assessment of Apennine masonry churches severely damaged during the 2016 Central Italy seismic sequence

The masonry churches in the Apennine area of Central Italy were severely affected by the 2016 earthquakes. The damages of some of these are analysed by considering their typical features such as slender walls, bell-gables, vaults, etc. The behaviours exhibited by these churches are compared with the numerical results on 3D Finite Element Models. This study aims to show how the role of geometry and irregularities present in the structures are fundamental in the analysis of local and global behaviours. Another objective is to investigate the applicability of the nonlinear approach recommended by manuals and codes. This work confirms that with the usual nonlinear static analysis, despite the approximations introduced in the models, it is possible to identify (qualitative way) the critical areas of the structure that could trigger collapses. Therefore, this type of analysis shows once again that it is a suitable tool for planning interventions to preserve the heritage.