Seismic Behaviour of Romanian Ortodox Churches, Modeling of Failure Modes by Rigid Blocks

Authors: Marius Mosoarca, Victor Gioncu, Ovidiu Cosma

Abstract:

Historic religious buildings located in seismic areas have developed different failure mechanisms. Simulation of failure modes is done with computer programs through a nonlinear dynamic analysis or simplified using the method of failure blocks. Currently there are simulation methodologies of failure modes based on the failure rigid blocks method only for Roman Catholic churches type. Due to differences of shape in plan, elevation and construction systems between Orthodox churches and Catholic churches, for the first time there were initiated researches in the development of this simulation methodology for Orthodox churches. In this article are presented the first results from the researches. The theoretical results were compared with real failure modes recorded at an Orthodox church from Banat region, severely damaged by earthquakes in 1991. Simulated seismic response, using a computer program based on finite element method was confirmed by cracks after earthquakes. The consolidation of the church was made according to these theoretical results, realizing a rigid floor connecting all the failure blocks.

Keywords: Dinamic analysis, failure mechanism, rigid blocks seismic simulation.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1063192

References:

[1] Beolcini, G.C. & Milano, L, Antonacci, E. 2006. Definizioni di medelli per l-analisi structurale degli edifice in muratura. Protocollo di progettazione per gli interventi di riconstructioni post-sisma Vol. II, Parte 1,1-88.
[2] Crisan, M. 2003. Structural Restoration of Orthodox Churches (in Romanian). University"Ion Mincu"Publishing House, Bucharest.
[3] D-Ayala, D. 2000. Establishing correlation between vulnerability and damage survey for churches. 12th WCEE, Auckland.
[4] D-Ayala, D. & Speranta, E. 2004. Definition of collapse mechanism and seismic vulnerability of historic masonry buildings. Earthquake Spectra.
[5] Lagomarsino, S .2002. Vulnerability of churches.12th ECEE, London.
[6] Binda, L., Saisi, A. 2007. State of the art of research on historic structures in Italy. http://www.arczip.cz/w11/w111_binda.pdf.
[7] De Luca,A., Mele, E., Romano,A., Patierno,C., Giordano, A. 2004. Valutazione approsimata della capacita portante di elemeni murari tipici di chiese a pianta basilicale. XI Congresso Nazionale L-ingeneria Sismica in Italia.Genova.
[8] Sofronie, R. 1983, Post-Seismic Strenghtening of Churches. IABSE Symposium Venezia, pp287-294.
[9] Sorrentino L., Decanini L., Comportamento sismico delle construzione murarie storiche, 1998-1999, pp 109-124.
[10] Gioncu V., Mosoarca M., Assessment and mitigation procedures for historical buildings situated in seismic areas, Recent Advances in Risk Management, Assessment and Mitigation, RIMA-10, Bucuresti, April 20-22 2010, WSEAS Press, pp.27-33.
[11] Gioncu V., Mosoarca M., Ultimate Limit State of Historical Masonry Buildings, Prohitech WP 9 Datasheet, 2007.
[12] Gioncu V., Mosoarca M., Anastasiadis A., Dynamic Modeling of Historical Buildings, New Trends and Statics and Dynamics of buildings, Bratislava, 20-21 October 2005.
[13] Gioncu V., Mosoarca M , Protection of historical buildings, Proceedings of the International Conference of Protection of Historical Buildings, PROHITECH 09, Rome, Italy, 21-24 June 2009, pp.1153- 1158.