Radar-based vibration measurement on historic masonry towers

Recent advances in radar techniques and systems have led to the development of microwave interferometers, suitable for the non-contact vibration monitoring of large structures. The main characteristic of these radar systems, entirely designed and developed by Italian researchers, is the possibility of simultaneously measuring the (static or dynamic) deflection of several points on a large structure with high accuracy. The paper first describes the radar equipment and its technical characteristics in order to highlight advantages and potential issues of the new technology. Subsequently, the application of microwave remote sensing to the measurement of vibrations on an historic masonry tower is presented and discussed.