Structural assessment, testing, rehabilitation and monitoring strategies for the world’s largest elliptical dome and Sanctuary at Vicoforte

Title: Structural assessment, testing, rehabilitation and monitoring strategies for the world’s largest elliptical dome and Sanctuary at Vicoforte
Author(s): A. Chiorino, C. Calderini, A. Spadafora, R. Spadavecchia
Paper category : conference
Book title: RILEM Symposium on On Site Assessment of Concrete, Masonry and Timber Structures - SACoMaTiS 2008
Editor(s): L. Binda, M. di Prisco, R. Felicetti
Print-ISBN: 978-2-35158-061-5
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-075-2
Publisher: RILEM Publications SARL
Publication year: 2008
Pages: 529 - 538
Total Pages: 10
Nb references: 4
Language: English

Abstract: The Sanctuary of Vicoforte, near Mondovì (Cuneo, Italy), is a monument of great historical, architectural and structural significance and owes its fame primarily to its great elliptical masonry dome, which is the fifth biggest in the world in terms of overall dimensions. With its 37.15 m and 24.80 m long axes, it is also by far the largest elliptical dome in the world.
Erected in 1732 on the late renaissance structure of the Sanctuary, the dome-drum system, has suffered from the start from significant structural problems, partly due to differential settlements arising from unfavourable geotechnical conditions, and, to a large extent, due to its very slender, bold structural configuration. This paper deals with the structural assessment, testing and monitoring strategies adopted in recent years following the strengthening and rehabilitation intervention performed in 1983, which consisted of fitting a system of tangential active tie-bars along the top circumference of the drum. This global approach to the reliability evaluation of the historical monument is currently under development through the cooperation of various Italian academic and research institutions and laboratories, and benefits from the contribution of a Japanese research group.

Online publication: 2009-05-26
Publication type : full_text
Public price (Euros): 0.00