Comparison Between The Stress Measurement And Its Numerical Simulation In The Gothic Cathedrals

Abstract

The constructive characteristics of the gothic style are unique in the history of architecture: its high vaults, the walls covered with tracery, the extern systems of containment,... The slenderness of these elements forced gothic cathedrals to stay in a perfect state of equilibrium, causing serious structural damages when it disappears. To prevent and correct the malfunction that nowadays present these big churches, is necessary to combine adequately simulation methods with measurement methods in situ. But there are many factors that must be taken into account at the moment of realize a detailed analysis: the heterogeneity of the stone and the mortar used -due to the long constructive periodsthe added or substituted structural elements like flying buttresses or arches, the stylistic restoration of every epoch and the possible collapses happened until our days. In this work we have related the local experimental stress measurements with the results of a global simulation with the Finit Elements Method of the gothic cathedral. 1.Why such interest about gothic? Structural characteristics make gothic style unique in European architecture. While, well known systems and construction technics are used, structurally the hollow advances respect piers. Gothic cathedrals push to the limit cross-vaultings, pointed arches, tracery, slender pillars, etc... Meanwhile discovers arch buttresses as external brace, becoming it's stylistic and formal fundamental element. Gothic buildings, specially cathedrals, change the pier concept inherited from Transactions on Modelling and Simulation vol 10, © 1995 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-355X