The Giotto's Bell Tower at Firenze (Italy): foundation assessment

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Massimo Coli ◽  
Marco Tanganelli ◽  
Michele Baldi ◽  
Stefania Viti
Keyword(s):  
Site Response ◽  
Technical Information ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Response Analysis ◽  
Seismic Action ◽  
Safety Level ◽  
Foundation Soil ◽  
Seismic Safety ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bell Tower

PurposeThe paper is aimed at assessing the safety of the Giotto's Bell Tower, with special attention to its foundation system, i.e. the foundation works and soil. The tower, well known all over the world, has a squared plan, with sides of 14.45 m each, and a total height equal to 84.7 m. The structural response of the tower is assessed with reference to the gravitational load and to the expected seismic action, quantified according to the seismic hazard of the site and the foundation soil.Design/methodology/approachA simplified analysis has been performed to check the safety level of the tower to seismic actions. Special attention has been paid to quantify the horizontal actions representing the seismic loads. Such quantification, indeed, has been made both through the elastic spectrum of the tower and by performing a site response analysis on the foundation soil, represented as a one-dimensional stratification of soil layers, described on the basis of experimental investigations. After defining the loading actions, a simplified assessment of the foundation safety has been made by considering the action over foundation, the geotechnical data and the safety factor.FindingsThe findings of the paper concern the assessment of the safety of the tower's foundation system. A lot of experimental data on the foundation soil, provided by various geological investigations, have been provided and used for the assessment. Moreover, the mechanical properties of the materials used for the structure have been collected and shown in the paper.Originality/valueThe paper collects a lot of technical information regarding the Giotto's Bell Tower, both regarding its foundation soil and the constituting materials. On the basis of the collected information, a structural analysis has been made to assess the seismic safety of the tower, and the results of such assessment are provided and discussed.

Dynamic response analysis on vibration of ground and track system induced by metro operation

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 958-970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi Ding ◽  
Danwei Li
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Response ◽  
Response Analysis ◽  
Analysis Model ◽  
Subway Tunnel ◽  
Ground Field ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Foundation Soil ◽  
Double Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Track System

PurposeThis paper aims to evaluate the dynamic response of surrounding foundation and study the vibration characteristics of track system.Design/methodology/approachA double-line underground coupling analysis model was established, which included two moving train, track, liner and the ground field.FindingsBased on the 2.5D (D is diameter) finite element analysis, the influence of the important factors such as the depth of the subway tunnel, the nature of the foundation soil, the relative position relation of the double tunnel, the subway driving speed on the foundation and the orbital vibration are analyzed in this article.Originality/valueThe results in paper may have reference value for the prediction of train induced vibrations and for the research of dynamic response of ground field.

Experimental investigations into parachute rescue systems

2018 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 667-678
Author(s):  
Miroslaw Rodzewicz ◽  
Dominik Glowacki ◽  
Tomasz Szczepanik ◽  
Jaroslaw Hajduk
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Unmanned Aircraft ◽  
Rotor Blades ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Safety Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Scale Models ◽  
Scale Test ◽  
Experimental Works ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the results of investigations of parachute rescue systems (PRS) for light gyrocopters. Design/methodology/approach Although the investigations were conducted in both stages simultaneously, i.e. experimental mechanics approach and numerical simulations, the paper is focussed mainly on the experimental part of the work. To ensure the safety of experimental works (i.e. for both experimenters and bystanders), the authors applied unmanned, remotely controlled scale models of autogyro for the PRS testing in the air. Findings The critical problem for successful use of the PRS is that the rotation of the rotor blades must be stopped when the main parachute opens, otherwise the influence of the rotor on the improper opening process of the parachute may cause the whole PRS to become useless. Research limitations/implications The existing regulations for the use of unmanned aircraft impose the limitation upon the organisation of in-flight tests of PRS, i.e. the maximum take-off mass of the tested gyrocopter models is limited, and a full-scale test needs the approval of European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Practical implications The research contributes to increasing the safety level for gyrocopter users. The authors elaborated the original PRS, which currently is in the process of patenting. Originality/value Originality of the work consists of both an innovative PRS, which has never been tested before, and the results of experimental investigations, which cover both ground tests carried on static or moving stands and in-flight testing.

Effect of infill walls on cumulative plastic deformation energy of RC frame structures

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-305
Author(s):  
Bing Bing Tu
Keyword(s):  
Plastic Deformation ◽  
Time History ◽  
Deformation Energy ◽  
Frame Structures ◽  
Response Analysis ◽  
Seismic Action ◽  
Rc Frame ◽  
Infill Walls ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Rc Frame Structures

Purpose A large number of earthquake damages showed that infill walls have obvious influence on the seismic damage performance of RC frame structures. The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of infill walls on the cumulative plastic deformation energy of RC frame structures, for which four RC frame structures are build and the time-history response analysis under unidirectional seismic action is presented. Design/methodology/approach The time-history response analysis under unidirectional seismic action is presented. Then the effect of periodic reduction coefficient on the cumulative plastic deformation energy of the structures, the beams and the columns is investigated. Findings Finally, the quantitative calculation formulas are provided. The results show that the periodic reduction coefficient has an obvious effect on the distribution of the accumulated plastic deformation energy, and the influence rules are presented here. Originality/value The effect of infill walls on the cumulative plastic deformation energy of RC frame structures is quantitatively analyzed here.

scholarly journals Near-Fault Seismic Response Analysis of Bridges Considering Girder Impact and Pier Size

Mathematics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 704
Author(s):  
Wenjun An ◽  
Guquan Song ◽  
Shutong Chen
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Response ◽  
Bending Moment ◽  
Expansion Method ◽  
Response Analysis ◽  
Seismic Action ◽  
Transient Wave ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Displacement Response ◽  
Near Fault ◽  
Continuous Girder Bridge

Given the influence of near-fault vertical seismic action, we established a girder-spring-damping-rod model of a double-span continuous girder bridge and used the transient wave function expansion method and indirect modal function method to calculate the seismic response of the bridge. We deduced the theoretical solution for the vertical and longitudinal contact force and displacement response of the bridge structure under the action of the near-fault vertical seismic excitation, and we analyzed the influence of the vertical separation of the bridge on the bending failure of the pier. Our results show that under the action of a near-fault vertical earthquake, pier-girder separation will significantly alter the bridge’s longitudinal displacement response, and that neglecting this separation may lead to the underestimation of the pier’s bending damage. Calculations of the bending moment at the bottom of the pier under different pier heights and cross-sectional diameters showed that the separation of the pier and the girder increases the bending moment at the pier’s base. Therefore, the reasonable design of the pier size and tensile support bearing in near-fault areas may help to reduce longitudinal damage to bridges.

scholarly journals S235JRC+C Steel Response Analysis Subjected to Uniaxial Stress Tests in the Area of High Temperatures and Material Fatigue

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5675
Author(s):  
Josip Brnic ◽  
Marino Brcic ◽  
Sebastian Balos ◽  
Goran Vukelic ◽  
Sanjin Krscanski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Temperatures ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Uniaxial Stress ◽  
Fatigue Tests ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Response Analysis ◽  
Stress Tests ◽  
Staircase Method ◽  
Mechanical Fatigue ◽  
Proper Material

Knowledge of the properties and behavior of materials under certain working conditions is the basis for the selection of the proper material for the design of a new structure. This paper deals with experimental investigations of the mechanical properties of unalloyed high quality steel S235JRC + C (1.0122) and its behavior under conditions of high temperatures, creep and mechanical fatigue. The response of the material at high temperatures (20–700 °C) is shown in the form of engineering stress-strain diagrams while that at creep behavior (400–600 °C) is shown in the form of creep curves. Furthermore, based on uniaxial fully reversed mechanical fatigue tests (R=−1), a stress-life (S-N) fatigue diagram has been constructed and the fatigue (endurance) limit of the material is calculated The experimentally determined value of tensile strength at room temperature is 534 MPa. The calculated value of the fatigue limit, also at room temperature, using the modified staircase method and based on the mechanical fatigue tests data, is 202 MPa. With regard to creep resistance, steel 1.0122 can be considered creep-resistant only at a temperature of 400 °C and at an applied stress not exceeding 50% of the yield strength corresponding to this temperature.

Modeling shear rigidity of stratified bedrock in site response analysis

2012 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hing-Ho Tsang ◽  
M. Neaz Sheikh ◽  
Nelson T.K. Lam
Keyword(s):  
Site Response ◽  
Site Response Analysis ◽  
Response Analysis ◽  
Shear Rigidity
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