Evaluation and retrofit of a seismically-damaged historical masonry building: A case study of the parish church in Pokupsko, Croatia

This project focuses on the seismic analysis of a cultural heritage site. It studies the Parish Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Pokupsko, Croatia. This church was affected by the 2020 earthquakes, and a complete study is undertaken to determine the extent of the damage. First, the observed damage is described and compared to typical out-of-plane mechanisms that occur in heritage buildings during seismic events. These kinematic expressions are evaluated in Python. Then, a finite element analysis is conducted on the church, and modal and pushover analyses are carried out. The goal of these analyses is to determine how the church behaves under expected demand. These results form the basis of a discussion around necessary retrofitting measures, some of which are implemented in the finite element model to study their efficacy. Thorough consideration is given to each proposed solution in the greater context of adequate retrofitting strategies.