Learning from Failure (Longterm Behaviour of Heavy Masonry Structures)

This book will help architects and engineers to understand and deal with the continuous damage of heavy structures. It includes a recognition of signs of the phenomenon, proposed predictive models, and guidelines for the on-site investigation, monitoring and repair of the damaged structures.

The book examines a number of well known cases: the collapse of the Civic Tower of Pavia (March 17 1989); the collapse of the St. Marco bell-tower in Venice (1902), the collapse of the Sancta Maria Magdalena bell-tower in Dusseldorf (1992); damage to the bell-tower of the Monza Cathedral; damage to the Torrazzo in Cremona; the collapse of the Noto Cathedral (1996).

The book describes ongoing experimental research, begun in 1989, designed to examine the phenomenon. After a careful interpretation of the experimental results, also based on experience from rock mechanics and concrete, modelling of the phenomenon for massive structures as creep behaviour of masonry was implemented.

Professor Luigia Binda is Professor in the Dipartamento di Ingegneria Strutturale (Department of Structural Engineering) at the Politecnico di Milano in Milan, Italy. Author of over 200 publications in her field, she focuses her current research on preservation and structural restoration of ancient buildings; non destructive evaluation of structures; material decay due to aggressive environment; mechanical behavior of brick and stone-masonry, long term behavior of heavy masonry structures, and the study of repair techniques.Professor Binda is a member of the following professional societies: RILEM, American Masonry Society, British Masonry Society, and ASS.I.R.C.CO