Diagnostics and Monitoring

DIAGNOSTIC INVESTIGATIONS, SEISMIC VULNERABILITY CHECKS, NON-DISTRUCTIVE TESTS

The experience acquired by the subsidiary A.I.C.E. Srl of Milan, active since the early 80s, has allowed A.I.C.E. Consulting to develop a series of technical procedures, related to structural diagnostics and non-destructive testing , codified within the company Quality System UNI ISO 9001.

The currently operational pre-planning activities  according to the needs of client are: Diagnostic Tests (TD), Safety Checks on existing buildings (VS), Emboss (RL) and Technical (CT) Advisory of which may or may not be correlated between each other.

The Company is in possession of sophisticated equipment for the execution of tests and measurements, which allow extensive geometric, physics, chemistry and mechanics materials characterization and constructional elements investigated, as well as the analysis of the damage and decay.

In addition to traditional techniques, A.I.C.E. Consulting also develops and applies original and innovative methods of investigation.

Verification of seismic vulnerability of existing buildings has currently a significant importance following the entry into force of regulations for buildings in seismic zone until the enactment of the Technical Regulations for Construction. A.I.C.E. Consulting, starting with the first surveys and technical documentation retrieval, is able to develop an appropriate Investigation Plan (PdI) according to the needs of the client that allows the definition of interventions on site and at workplace, the results, the tests on the materials and on the substance until the results of the analysis of complex numerical models, with an indication of the anomalies detected and any measures that may be necessary.

From 2019, A.I.C.E. Consulting is part in Italy of Codis (Association for the Control, Diagnostics and Security of Structures, Infrastructures and Cultural Heritage).

The main diagnostic techniques used on site are:

  • Direct survey (geometric and structural) topographic and GPS;

  • Search of steel rebars in reinforced concrete structures by Pachometric surveys;

  • Tomography;

  • Experimental dynamic acquisitions and relative interpretations;

  • Strain gauge measurements;

  • Video-endoscopic prospectings;

  • Taking samples of concrete, stone material and mortar;

  • Pull-out and pull-off;

  • Determination of the rebound index by means of a sclerometer;

  • Determination of the propagation of sonic and ultrasonic waves in materials;

  • Tests with single and double flat jacks;

  • Penetrometric tests on mortars (PNT-G method);

  • Resistance measurements of wooden elements by means of a wooden sclerometer;

  • Measurement of thicknesses of metal elements using an ultrasonic measuring device;

  • Measurements of the corrosion potential of steel bars from reinforced concrete;

  • Fleximetric measurements for load tests;

  • Thermography;

  • Final tests and testing of technological systems.

Monitoring

In anticipation or during a diagnostic investigation project, it is often necessary to carry out the monitoring and control of the manufactured article in question.

A.I.C.E. Consulting designs, manufactures, installs and manages monitoring systems for dams, bridges and viaducts, landslides, tunnels, civil and industrial buildings, historic and monumental buildings.

The Company uses sophisticated equipment for data acquisition and recording, as well as for transmission to remote control servers. The data collected can be provided to the Client in raw form or processed. In the case of buildings with on-going instabilities, the data collected can form the basis for the formulation of the structural diagnosis and for the proposal of possible measures.

In recent years, especially for considerably important infrastructures , monitoring systems are part of the construction. The equipment is therefore already studied starting from the design phase of the work and it is installed during construction.

The main types of data collected are:

  • Displacements (eg, sagging, damaged areas);

  • Deformations (strain);

  • Stresses;

  • Temperature;

  • Humidity;

  • Sound level;

  • Gas concentration;

  • Brightness.

Sports centers of the Municipality of Milan
Customer: Municipality of Milan ‐ Sports and Youth Sector
Static and geognostic assessment service for sports centers, municipal stadiums, swimming pools and public showers of the municipality of Milan, including the San Siro plant, “Giuseppe Meazza” stadium

Headquarters of the National Fire Brigade Department
Lots 3 & 4 – Tuscany
(total volume 370.055 m3)
Customer: Ministry of the Interior – Department of Fire Brigade
Surveys, diagnostic investigations, seismic vulnerability, preliminary design of seismic retrofit/upgrade and energy certification of 43 buildings

Ancient slaughterhouse – Minervino Murge (BAT)
Customer: Municipal Administration of Minervino Murge
Diagnostic investigations, non-destructive tests, surveys, seismic vulnerability check according to the O.P.C.M. n° 3274/2003 and final submission design of seismic upgrade aimed at the new intended use of multipurpose centre

Villa Baciocchi Museum Complex – Capannoli (PI)
Customer: Municipal Administration of Capannoli
Prefinal and final submission design, construction management, accounting and safety coordination during the design and execution phases of restoration and static consolidation works

Modena Cathedral
Customer: Candini Arte S.r.l.
Specialist engineering service relating to the restoration and
static consolidation of the prothyrum of the main façade and the apsidal towers

Ex Tobacco factory – ex convent
of San Domenico – Lucca
Customer: Municipality of Lucca – UNIECO Cooperative Company
Surveys, diagnostic investigations, verification of seismic vulnerability, design up to the final submission level of the structures and of the facilities and coordination of safety in the design phase related to the complex restoration

Cathedral of San Corrado – Molfetta (BA)
Customer: San Corrado Parish (Molfetta)
Diagnostic investigations and non-destructive tests (NDT) related to the restoration project and functional static adaptation of the Cathedral and bell towers

Giuseppe Garibaldi National Museum – Arbuticci Fort (Caprera island)
Customer: Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Mission Units & Arch. P. C. Pellegrini
Survey, diagnostic investigations, design up to the final submission level of the structures and installations of renovation works

Church of San Nicolò and former Benedictine Cassinese Convent – Militello in Val di Catania (CT)
Customer: NABLA s.a.s. (CT)
Diagnostic investigations and non-destructive tests (NDT) related to buildings restoration and conservation projects

Cathedral of San Sabino – Canosa di Puglia (BAT)
Customer: Diocese of Andria
Diagnostic investigations and non-destructive tests (NDT) related to restoration and conservation projects

Cloister “dei Padri” of the Charterhouse of Calci (PI)
Customer: Superintendency for the Environmental, Architectural, Artistic and Historical Heritage of Pisa
Diagnostic investigations including breakdown analysis, endoscopic investigations, radar-stratigraphic profiles and determination of chain pull by dynamic characterization

New “Concetto Marchesi” school complex – Pisa
Customer: Provincial Administration of Pisa
Engineering services for the final submission design drafted according to new construction LEED criteria and for safety coordination in the design phase.
Task in collaboration with Leonardo S.r.l. (Coordinator company)

Directional building in Vicenza
(volume: 16.486 mc)
Customer: Classified
Surveys and diagnostic investigations, restoration and integral preliminary, prefinal and final submission design with existing buildings LEED certification

Bridge over the Marrash river HW7 Mokren – Bulgaria
Customer: COPLAN AG
Geometric and structural survey, diagnostic investigations
and NDT, F.E.M. modeling, verification of the useful capacity
and final design of consolidation

Military Airport at Campia Turzii – Romania
Customer: COPLAN AG
Detailed survey and mapping of the runway, taxitway and an apron conditions. Final submission project to repair the pavements and assistance to the construction management

San Cataldo pier in the port of Taranto
Customer: Taranto Port Authority
Diagnostic investigations, Preliminary and prefinal design, safety coordination in the design and execution phases, construction management related to the maintenance and structural restoration of the open decks

Intellectual property reserved. Any unauthorized reproduction is prohibited. © A.I.C.E. Consulting S.r.l. - 1990 - 2018