A NOVEL FE MODEL FOR THE TOWER OF PISA

The Leaning Tower of Pisa, in Italy, is a structure unlike any other; for its peculiar shape and position, but also on account of its historical and cultural relevance. A large number of studies focused on different aspects of its safeguard, and during the 20th century interest by the scientific community surged, in response to a worrying increase in the tilt of the structure. Investigations culminated in a geotechnical stabilisation intervention, carried out around the turn of the century by an international Committee for the Safeguard of the Leaning Tower. Numerous numerical and experimental studies were carried out, simulating the behavior of the ground and that of the structure; consolidation interventions were implemented to prevent structural failures; provisional structures were built and a monitoring system was installed to measure relative displacements and crack opening. Despite the clear success of the intervention, there are still some open questions concerning the structural safety of the Tower. This work presents a new model of the monument, designed to be the most accurate yet, which will be used to help scholars gain insight into the structural behavior of the Tower. As a test and a showcase of the model’s use, the results of two analyses regarding the effects of tilt on damage and bending are also reported.