Constructive Modelling and Structural Analysis of the Church of Santos Juanes: An Approach Using Non-Destructive Techniques
Source abstract
Abstract
Historic masonry churches are highly vulnerable to structural degradation and seismic hazards due to their geometric complexity, material ageing, and lack of detailed construction records. The Church of Santos Juanes in Valencia, a monument of exceptional historical and architectural value, presents these challenges, intensified by centuries of transformations and partial loss of documentation. In this study, we develop a comprehensive methodology that integrates historical research, non-destructive testing (3D laser scanning with Leica Geosystems Cyclone v9.1.1; infrared thermography, commercial software; ground-penetrating radar with gprMax 2016 and GPR-SLICE v7.MT), and advanced finite element modelling (Angle v1). The integrated survey data enabled the creation of an accurate 3D geometric model, the detection of hidden construction elements, and the characterisation of subsoil stratigraphy. Structural simulations under static and seismic loading—considering soil–structure interaction—revealed the high global stiffness of the complex, the influence of the Baroque vault on load distribution, and localised vulnerabilities, particularly in the San Juan ‘O’ façade, which coincide with existing cracks confirmed by thermography. This methodological framework not only advances the diagnosis and conservation of Santos Juanes but also provides a replicable model for assessing and safeguarding other heritage buildings with similar typological and structural challenges.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: 3D Surveying and Cultural Heritage · Building materials and conservation · Conservation Techniques and Studies
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Department Architectural Constructions, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 València, Spain
Department Continuum Mechanics and Theory of Structures, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 València, Spain
Project Management, Innovation and Sustainability Research Center (PRINS), Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 València, Spain
References (70)
Show source-provided references
1. Galarza Tortajada, T. (1990). Santos Juanes: Historia y Arquitectura, Diputación Provincial de Valencia.
2. Estellés Ceba, J.J. (1986). Proyecto de Intervención de la Real Parroquia de los Santos Juanes de Valencia, Conselleria de Cultura, Generalitat Valenciana.
3. Seismic vulnerability analysis of masonry churches in Piemonte after 2003 Valle Scrivia earthquake: Post-event screening and situation 17 years later
4. Theoretical and numerical seismic analysis of masonry building aggregates: Case studies in San Pio delle Camere (L’Aquila, Italy)
5. Seismic vulnerability of ancient churches. II. Statistical analysis of surveyed data and methods for risk analysis10.1193/1.1737736 ↗
6. Seismic damage prediction of masonry churches by a PGA-based approach10.1080/15583058.2019.1597215 ↗
7. Site effects and damage scenarios: The case study of two historic centers following the 2016 Central Italy earthquake10.1016/j.enggeo.2020.105647 ↗
8. Structural vulnerability assessment of masonry churches supported by user-reported data and modern Internet of Things (IoT)10.1016/j.measurement.2018.08.014 ↗
9. Zizi, M., Rouhi, J., Chisari, C., Cacace, D., and De Matteis, G. (2021). Seismic vulnerability assessment for masonry churches: An overview on existing methodologies. Buildings, 11.10.3390/buildings11120588 ↗
10. Seismic vulnerability and risk assessment of historic constructions: The case of masonry and adobe churches in Italy and Chile10.1007/978-3-319-99441-3_122 ↗
11. Simplified vulnerability assessment of historical churches in Banat seismic region, Romania10.1080/15583058.2024.2341054 ↗
12. An insight in the late Baroque architecture: An integrated approach for a unique Bibiena church10.1016/j.culher.2016.07.006 ↗
13. Moreno Marín, F. (2016, March 30). Los Santos Juanes la Joya Olvidada. Las Provincias, 16 de Mayo de 2010. Available online: https://www.lasprovincias.es/.
14. Aranzo Ballester, J. (1984). Patrimonio en Peligro: Informe sobre Santos Juanes, Ayuntamiento de Valencia.
15. Los Santos Juanes, la parroquia más documentada de toda la diócesis Paraula. Iglesia en Valencia
16. Investigating laser scanner accuracy
17. Vosselman, G., and Maas, H.-G. (2010). Airborne and Terrestrial Laser Scanning, Whittles Publishing.
18. Terrestrial laser scanning and close range photogrammetry for 3D archaeological documentation: The Upper Palaeolithic Cave of Parpalló as a case study10.1016/j.jas.2009.10.011 ↗
19. FARO Technologies (2012). FARO Focus 3D Technical Specifications, FARO Europe GmbH.
20. A method for registration of 3-D shapes10.1109/34.121791 ↗
21. Escuadra: Programa para la conversión de nubes de puntos
22. Infrared thermography for building diagnostics10.1016/S0378-7788(01)00105-0 ↗
23. Infrared thermographic inspection of murals and characterization of degradation in historic monuments10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2012.06.062 ↗
24. Maldague, X. (2001). Theory and Practice of Infrared Technology for Nondestructive Testing, Wiley-Interscience.
25. Monitoring of ancient buildings by the thermal method10.1016/S1296-2074(02)01159-7 ↗
26. Infrared Thermography for Temperature Measurement and Non-Destructive Testing10.3390/s140712305 ↗
27. Busquets Caparrós, J., and Teixidor Sabihi, M. (2011). Estudi de L’emissivitat de Materials de Revestiments en Edificació Mitjançant la Termografia Infraroja. [Bachelor Thesis, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya]. Available online: https://hdl.handle.net/2099.1/12155.
28. Royo Pastor, R. (2015). [Fotografía] de la Tesis Doctoral: “La Real Parroquia de los Santos Juanes. Análisis Constructivo y Estructural”, Valencia. [Ph.D. Thesis, Universitat Politècnica de València, Instituto Universitario de Investigación de Ingeniería Energética].
29. Daniels, D. (2004). Ground Penetrating Radar, Institution of Engineering and Technology. [2nd ed.].10.1049/PBRA015E ↗
30. Jol, H.M. (2009). Electromagnetic principles of ground penetrating radar. Ground Penetrating Radar: Theory and Applications, Elsevier.
31. Jol, H.M. (2009). Ground Penetrating Radar Theory and Applications, Elsevier.
32. Gil Gay, J. (1909). Monografía Histórico-Descriptiva de la Real Parroquia de los Santos Juanes de Valencia, Editorial Tipografía San José.
33. Heyman, J. (1996). Arches, Vaults and Buttresses: Masonry Structures and Their Engineering, Aldershot.
34. Huerta Fernández, S. (2004). Arcos, Bóvedas y Cúpulas: Geometría y Equilibrio en el Cálculo Tradicional de Estructuras de Fábrica, Instituto Juan de Herrera.
35. Técnicas de diagnóstico estructural en las estructuras históricas: Análisis de la cúpula de San Miguel de los Reyes (Valencia)
36. Alonso Durá, A. (2015). ANGLE: Programa para Análisis Estructural Mediante Elementos Finitos (Software), Universitat Politècnica de València.
37. Oller, S. (1994). Modelización Numérica de Materiales Friccionales, Monografía Nº 3, CIMNE.
38. A consistent characteristic length for smeared cracking models10.1002/nme.1620280214 ↗
39. Oller, S. (1991). Análisis Numérico de Estructuras de Hormigón, CIMNE.
40. Hanganu, A.D., Barbat, A.H., and Oñate, E. (1997). Metodología de Evaluación del Deterioro en Estructuras de Hormigón Armado, Monografía Nº 39, CIMNE.
41. Llopis Pulido, V. (2014). La Catedral de Valencia: Construcción y Estructura. Análisis Del Cimborrio. [Ph.D. Thesis, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia]. Available online: https://riunet.upv.es/handle/10251/39313.
42. Structural analysis of historical constructions: Classical and advanced approaches10.1007/s11831-010-9046-1 ↗
43. An orthotropic damage model for the analysis of masonry structures10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2012.07.014 ↗
44. Continuum damage model for orthotropic materials: Application to masonry10.1016/j.cma.2010.11.010 ↗
45. Almerich-Chulia, A. (2015). Análisis Estructural de la Iglesia de San Esteban, Valencia: Propuesta de Intervención Mediante la Utilización de Redondos de Fibra de Vidrio. [Master’s Thesis, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia]. Available online: https://riunet.upv.es/handle/10251/58200.
46. Oñate, E. (2000). Desarrollos y Aplicaciones de Modelos de Fractura en la Escuela de Ingenieros de Caminos de Barcelona, Monografía Nº 201, CIMNE.
47. Diagnóstico sobre el comportamiento estructural de la Cúpula de las Escuelas Pías de Valencia
48. Molines-Cano, J.M. (2017). Metodología de Análisis Estructural y de Caracterización Constructiva en Fábricas Históricas. Aplicación a la Iglesia de los Santos Juanes (Valencia). [Ph.D. Thesis, Universitat Politècnica de València]. Available online: https://hdl.handle.net/10251/86199.
49. Mas Tomás, M.A. (1990). Hacia una Metodología de Actuación en la Restauración de Edificios Construidos en Piedra. [Ph.D. Thesis, Universitat Politècnica de València].
50. Consolidación Estructural de los Puentes de Serranos y de la Trinidad de Valencia. Proceso y Ensayos de puesta en Obra
51. Hernández Muñoz, E.J. (2015). El levantamiento Gráfico Arquitectónico de Precisión. La Jamba de la Portada de Acceso Principal de la Lonja de La Seda de Valencia. [Ph.D. Thesis, Universitat Politècnica de València].
52. Mas-Guindal Lafarga, A.J. (2011). Mecánica de las Estructuras Antiguas o Cuando las Estructuras no se Calculaban, Editorial Munilla-Lería.
53. Seismic vulnerability of historical masonry buildings: A case study in Ferrara10.1016/j.engstruct.2007.11.006 ↗
54. A crack-tracking technique for localized damage in quasi-brittle materials10.1016/j.engfracmech.2010.06.013 ↗
55. Seismic response evaluation of ten tuff masonry churches with basilica plan through advanced numerical simulations
56. Earthquake response and damage patterns assessment of two historical masonry churches with bell tower10.1016/j.engfailanal.2023.107418 ↗
57. Vacas Albala, A. (2009). Seismic Analysis of Gothic Cathedrals Using the Capacity Spectrum Method. [Master’s Thesis, Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya]. Available online: https://hdl.handle.net/2099.1/8541.
58. Abril Jaramillo, P.A. (2013). Modelado Estructural de Edificios Convencionales: Aplicación al Analisis de Fragilidad del Edificio “La Viña” en Lorca (Murcia). [Master’s Thesis, Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya]. Available online: https://hdl.handle.net/2099.1/19925.
59. Perelló Roso, R. (2015). Aproximación al Comportamiento Estructural de la Iglesia y Torre del Monasterio de Santa María de la Murta. [Ph.D. Thesis, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia]. Available online: https://riunet.upv.es/handle/10251/57046.
60. RISK-UE (2016). Table of Damage Thresholds Prepared According to the RISK-UE Methodology, European Commission.
61. Martínez Ruiz, G. (2007). Vulnerabilidad Sísmica de Edificios de obra de Fábrica para Mediana y gran luz. [Ph.D. Thesis, Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya]. Available online: https://www.educacion.gob.es/teseo/mostrarRef.do?ref=423597.
62. Interacción del suelo, cimiento y estructura: El caso de la zapata (1ª parte)
63. Grasshoff, H. (1957, January 1). Influence of flexural rigidity of superstructure on the distribution of contact pressure and bending moments of an elastic combined footing. Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, London, UK.
64. Sommer, H. (1965, January 2). Method for calculation of settlements, contact pressures and bending moments in a foundation including the influence of the flexural rigidity of the superstructure. Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Montreal, QC, Canada.
65. Elastoplastic analysis for soil–structure interaction in framed structures10.1016/0045-7949(94)00432-3 ↗
66. Rational analysis of raft foundations10.1061/AJGEB6.0000070 ↗
67. Interactive analysis of a space frame–raft–soil system considering soil non-linearity10.1016/0045-7949(94)90320-4 ↗
68. Continuum FE modelling of the Cathedral of Mallorca10.1016/j.engstruct.2012.08.005 ↗
69. Ministerio de Vivienda (2009). Código Técnico de la Edificación (CTE). Documento Básico SE-C: Cimientos, Gobierno de España. Tabla F.2 «Estimación del módulo de elasticidad sin drenaje de arcillas sobreconsolidadas».
70. Denver, H. (1982, January 24–27). Modulus of elasticity for sand determined by SPT and CPT. Proceedings of the 2nd European Symposium on Penetration Testing (ESOPT 2), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.