Survey, monitoring and structural diagnostics of the Bramante tower in Vigevano (PV)
14 June 2018
The tower of the Sforza Castle in Vigevano, known as the “Bramante Tower,” is a symbol of the city and, together with the perspective of the nearby Piazza Ducale, represents one of the most accomplished examples of Lombard Renaissance architecture.
The Municipal Technical Office, engaged in the safeguarding and conservation of the tower, identified during routine inspection activities the presence of a complex cracking pattern, which suggested the need to carry out a diagnostic investigation to assess the overall level of structural safety of the building.
For this reason, the Municipality of Vigevano selected FOPPOLI MORETTA e ASSOCIATI srl, a company selected for its specific and extensive experience in diagnostic investigations and structural strengthening interventions on historic and monumental buildings, as well as for its expertise in diagnostic activities carried out using rope access and positioning systems. A key aspect was the close inspection of the tower’s external surfaces in order to document the cracking pattern and identify any structural criticalities.
The diagnostic campaign began with a comprehensive survey of the structure carried out using laser scanning techniques. At the same time, the cracking pattern was recorded on both the internal and external masonry; close inspection of the latter was made possible through the use of rope access techniques.
An instrumental diagnostic campaign was then carried out to determine the geometric and mechanical properties of the tower’s brick masonry, through horizontal core drillings inspected by video endoscopy. Finally, in order to monitor the evolution of the existing cracks over time, displacement gauges were installed. These instruments will allow discontinuous structural monitoring of the tower over a period of at least one year, making it possible to capture the effects of seasonal thermal expansion of the masonry and to identify any structurally significant trends.
Video link "Survey, monitoring and structural diagnostics of the Bramante tower in Vigevano (PV)"
