Learning from failure long term behaviour of heavy masonry structures
Preface
On March 17 1989, the Civic Tower of Pavia collapsed without any apparent warning
signs – killing four people. Subsequently, L. Binda, together with four colleagues
from DIS, Politecnico of Milan, was nominated a member of a Committee that had the
aim of helping the Prosecutor of the Procura della Repubblica in Milan find the
causes of the collapse. After an experimental and analytical investigation lasting
nine months, the collapse cause was found. Progressive damage dating back many
years, due mainly to the heavy dead load put on top of the existing medieval tower
with the addition of a massive bell-tower in granite, was to blame.
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