Robustness Analysis of Historical Timber Roofs: A Case Study of the Gaggiandre Shipyard at the Arsenale of Venice

Abstract

In this work, a deterministic approach is adopted to analyze the robustness of the timber roof of the Gaggiandre shipyard at the Arsenale of Venice. The capacity of the traditional timber truss to withstand the design loads as a result of the damage in the strut-tie node is evaluated according to the alternative load path method. Two layouts of the trusses are analyzed and compared: before and after the Austrian retrofitting intervention, performed in the late 1800s. For both configurations, robustness analyses are carried out by using linear 2D numerical models that consider the effective rotational capacity of the structural nodes in relation to the construction methods of the timber joints. For the configuration subject to the 19th-century restoration, the 3D response of the roof is also analyzed to verify the additional contribution provided by the longitudinal bracing system to the activation of alternative load paths (bridge effect). The results obtained with the different analyses are thoroughly evaluated, providing an indication of the deterministic robustness index of the roofing system based on different assumptions. The outcomes of this work allow to draw some general considerations on the method that could be used for the robustness assessment of historical wood systems.