Point-cloud-driven structural assessment of masonry vaults with coupled laser intensity and FE stress mapping

This paper presents an enhanced digitalization framework for the structural assessment of historic masonry vaults, explicitly addressing boundary condition sensitivity and validation needs raised in the literature. By integrating high-resolution laser scanning, point cloud processing, and Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM), the framework facilitates efficient generation of accurate finite element (FE) models. It incorporates tools to evaluate how assumptions about boundary conditions influence structural behavior and stability. A key contribution is the coupling of laser intensity–based surface anomaly mapping with FE stress distributions, enabling a feedback-driven refinement of boundary condition assumptions. This feedback process improves the realism of support modeling and enhances the diagnostic capability of the numerical analysis. The framework offers a practical and non-invasive methodology for informed decision-making in the conservation of historic masonry vaults. Its implementation is demonstrated on the asymmetric masonry vault of the ‘Ex Opera Pia Reynero’ building, where variations in support configurations significantly influenced modal and nonlinear responses, showing improved agreement between model predictions and observed surface anomalies.