Paper Title:

The Crack Pattern in Brunelleschi's Dome in Florence: Damage Evolution from Historical to Modern Monitoring System Analysis

Periodical Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 133 - 134)
Main Theme Structural Analysis of Historic Constructions
Edited by Xianglin Gu and Xiaobin Song
Pages 53-64
DOI 10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.133-134.53
Citation Federica Ottoni et al., 2010, Advanced Materials Research, 133-134, 53
Online since October, 2010
Authors Federica Ottoni, Eva Coïsson, Carlo Blasi
Keywords Art of Construction, Brunelleschi's Dome, Empiric-Experimental Method, Encircling Strengthening Intervention, Historical Analysis, Monitoring System Analysis
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Abstract

The aim of this paper is to show the potentiality of the historical analysis mixed with the experimental data elaboration in identifying the mechanical behavior of an ancient monument. Firstly, an ideal route through the crack pattern of Santa Maria del Fiore dome in Florence is presented herein: the conclusion of the historical debates about the mechanical behavior of the dome are analyzed in light of the statistical interpretation of the last 55years cracks monitoring data. The recall of some historical debates has been fundamental in the comprehension of its mechanical behavior, showing the validity of the empiric-experimental method in ancient master builders solution (the “art of building” rules) to the main problem of the masonry domes: their primeval and ineradicable horizontal thrust on supporting structures. The final aim is to present some results on the beneficent effect of the scaffolding installed on the dome from 1980 to 1996, which seems to confirm the prevision made by Vincenzo Viviani at the end of XVII century on the future consolidation of this dome.