Wind strength of Gothic Cathedrals

A nonlinear approach to the wind strength of Gothic Cathedrals: The case of Notre Dame of Paris

“…Different models simulate the wind profile; typical ones are logarithmic or power laws, [Sachs, 1978]. Like in an analogous work on the wind strength of a Gothic Cathedral, [Coccia et al, 2015], we have used a power law in the form…”

“…where we have introduced the two dimensionless variables with z 0 the reference height, where the wind speed v 0 is known, and α an exponent, put equal to 0.35 in [Coccia et al, 2015], value suggested for urban areas.…”

“…A more recent work is that of M. Como and his team, [Como, 2013], [Coccia et al, 2015]. In a research concerning the Amiens Cathedral, the study of the lateral wind strength is done using the limit analysis method, i.e.…”

“…The theoretical framework is that defined by Heyman, [Heyman, 1995], i.e., the masonry has no tensile strength at all, the compressive strength can be considered as infinite and no sliding failures occur in the structure. Actually, in [Coccia et al, 2015] also local sliding mechanisms are anyway considered.…”

Minimum thrust and minimum thickness of hemispherical masonry domes

“…Consequently, the dome slices and, producing a mechanism, adapts itself to the settlement. As in the case of the arch [10][11][12]14] or of the cross vault [10,13,15], a state of minimum thrust takes thus place in the dome. This state is so defined by a statically admissible pressure surface i.e., all contained within the dome thickness and tangent to the dome along two parallel circles to assure the formation of circular hingings producing the settlement mechanism.…”