scholarly journals Seismic Upgrading of a Historical Masonry Bell Tower through an Internal Dissipative Steel Structure

Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 24
Author(s):  
Arianna Pavia ◽  
Fabrizio Scozzese ◽  
Enrica Petrucci ◽  
Alessandro Zona

Masonry towers are part of a valuable architectural heritage characterizing the landscape of many historical areas. These towers are vulnerable structures that are prone to earthquake damage. Hence, the design of effective seismic upgrading interventions is an important task for preserving such architectural forms for future generations. In view of that, the objective of this study is to contribute a possible addition to the portfolio of available approaches for seismic upgrading of masonry towers. This goal was pursued by exploring an innovative structural solution that does not alter the external appearance of the tower and its static scheme under gravity loads, yet is able to increase its capacity to withstand seismic actions through added damping. Specifically, the proposed solution consists of a steel structure internal to the masonry tower that incorporates fluid viscous dampers. In order to evaluate its potentialities, a real case study was taken as a testbed structure, historic analysis as well as geometric and architectural surveys were undertaken, an initial design for the upgrading was made, and numerical simulations were performed. The obtained results, although preliminary, highlight the potentialities of the proposed structural solution for the seismic upgrading of masonry towers and might open the way to future developments and applications.

2010 ◽  
Vol 133-134 ◽  
pp. 843-848 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adolfo Preciado Quiroz ◽  
Silvio T. Sperbeck ◽  
Harald Budelmann ◽  
Gianni Bartoli ◽  
Elham Bazrafshan

This work presents the investigation of the efficiency of different prestressing devices as a rehabilitation measure for the seismic risk mitigation of historical masonry towers. As a first phase, the seismic vulnerability of theoretical masonry towers was assessed by means of numerical models validated with information from the literature, observed damage and behavior of these structures due to passed earthquakes (crack pattern and failure mechanisms), and mainly taking into account the engineering experience. Afterwards, the validated models were rehabilitated with different prestressing devices; analyzing the results and concluding which device or the combination of them improved in a better way the seismic performance of the masonry towers. Finally, the methodology will be applied in two historical masonry towers located in seismic areas; the medieval tower “Torre Grossa” of San Gimignano, Italy, and one of the bell towers of the Cathedral of Colima, Mexico.


1996 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 185-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
W G Scanlon ◽  
N E Evans ◽  
G C Crumley ◽  
Z M Mccreesh

Radio-based signalling devices will play an important role in future generations of remote patient monitoring equipment, both at home and in hospital. Ultimately, it will be possible to sample vital signs from patients, whatever their location and without them necessarily being aware that a measurement is being taken. This paper reviews current methods for the transmission by radio of physiological parameters over ranges of 0.3, 3 and 30 m, and describes the radiofrequency hardware required and the carrier frequencies commonly used. Future developments, including full duplex systems and the use of more advanced modulation schemes, are described. The paper concludes with a case study of a human temperature telemeter built to indicate ovulation. Clinical results clearly show the advantage to be had in adopting radio biotelemetry in this instance.


Belleten ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 76 (276) ◽  
pp. 673-690
Author(s):  
Giorgio Gasco

The beginning of restoration works on a scientific base in Turkey dates back on 1933 when a specific committee for the protection of monuments (Anıtları Koruma Komisyonu) was officially appointed by the Ministry of Education. The preliminary working phase, carried on under the direction of this committee, was soon distinguished by the clear attempt to visualize the results in order to cast the monuments as national icons. The present paper's aim is to discuss this process of visualization focusing on the case study of a series of works realized in Edime from 1933 to 1944. Apart from the historical value of monuments included in the protection program, the study explores the ideological side of these works stressing their value as a pioneering enterprise of a modem nation that celebrated its emerging culture in the protection and preservation of monuments as a sign of progress and civilization. Edirne's restoration works in fact arouse a great deal of interest in the national press, becoming the best show-case for the effort of the Ministry. By this point of view the study focuses on the key-role played by the Turkish Historical Society in the construction of a visual narrative in the attempt to disseminate the result of these works. In particular the efforts of the Turkish Historical Society in advertising the scheduled interventions found their outlet in the editing of a set of postcards displaying Edirne's historical buildings. The result is a series of powerful images in which a number of buildings are re-casted as the first cultural-historical assets of the Turkish nation. The construction of this visual material was set according to a powerful aesthetic format, clear and instantly recognizable, in order to assure an immediate public reception of the historical heritage of the country. The collection of these images stands as a prime contribution in the construction of the national identity of the country thanks to the production of a collective visual heritage, that, on the ground of an effective popular aesthetics, was able to feature the idea of nation as a landscape of monuments.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatiha Imane Mahcar ◽  
Belkacem Takhi

Algeria has a rich urban and architectural heritage, which presents regional specificities. Once the ksour was a symbol of balance and perfect harmony with its environment, unfortunately today they no longer reflect their former function. The Ksourian architecture, including that of Laghouat is a prestigious heritage of high value; it is the testimony of genius knowledge and the capacity of their occupants to adapt to the difficult environment. The housing is considered the essential core of this architecture it represents the entire composition of the ksar, its design is inspired by the immediate environment and respects ancestral social values. It is characterized by a simple architecture and simple construction techniques which are based on the construction in load-bearing walls, the construction materials used are local materials of great resistance and less expensive. This study addresses the theme revaluation of heritage, particularly our case study ksar El-Haouita which has experienced a neglecting and depopulation due to several factors. The ksar El-Haouita is among the most famous ksour located in the south of Algeria and exactly in the region of Laghouat. It is built with simple materials and techniques of construction. The construction materials used are local materials like stones and lime found in the environmental surroundings of the ksar. The aim of this study is to identify the major causes of the degradation of ksar, also to preserve ksar El-Haouita through specific operations and to improve the tourist attractiveness of ksar El-Haouita in order to promote heritage, to convert it back into sustainable Saharan tourism. Our study based in the first place; on a theoretical underpinning which contains the notions that have a relation with our theme, the problematic and the envisaged objective, then a presentation of ksar followed by a morphological analysis accompanied by identification of the problems to identify the phenomena of damage and its disfigurement. The last step is to treat an aspect for the development of ksar, this aspect is devoted to the restitution of the defensive system (doors, ramparts, ramparts of houses and towers) of the ksar, through a diagnostic and several operations like (rehabilitation and reconstruction). The aim result of this study is to show that the revaluation of the ksar is a very vast operation and proposes interventions that allow the preservation of the ksar and also to understand the elements that help the success of interventions and to put some of the parameters considered as reference elements and basic principles for the operations on the ksar and among these operations it is (the case study, which is the restitution of the defensive system of ksar El-Haouita).


Author(s):  
Marco Vitali ◽  
Roberta Spallone ◽  
Francesco Carota

In this chapter are developed some considerations about the heuristic potentialities of parametric digital modeling as a tool for analyzing and interpreting architectural heritage. Observed that the parametric thinking in architecture could be recognized almost from the origin, new parametric modeling software allows to verify the design criteria of the past. On the basis of previous studies on Baroque vaulted atria, this chapter develops, using parametric modeling tools, a real vocabulary of shapes and their possible combinations, suggested by the architectural literature of the time and the survey of about seventy atria in Turin. This method has been tested on the case study of the lunettes dome in the atrium of Palazzo Carignano.


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