Abstract
The Amphiteatrum Flavium in Rome (Italy) is one of the most known monument in the world. With the aim of understand the seismic response of the area where the Amphiteatrum Flavium is build and investigate possible soil-structure interactions, we performed a seismic experiment in 2014, based on ambient vibration (AMV) recordings. The measurements were performed at the original ground level, on the foundation and at different floors of the monument. Data were analyzed in terms of standard Fourier analysis (FAS) and horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio technique (H/V). Moreover, we performed an active P-wave seismic tomography analysis of the foundation materials to better understand their influence on the recorded signals. Our results point out that there is a strong temporal and spatial stability of the H/V curves, suggesting a uniform seismic response at the monument site. Conversely, spectral amplitudes of AMV show relevant temporal and spatial variability at the investigated site, due to the daily variations of AMV levels and to the low-pass filtering effect of the stiff Amphiteatrum Flavium foundation that strongly attenuates the signals for frequencies above 4 Hz, i.e. those mostly originated by traffic vibrations. Moreover, we observe that the main vibration frequencies of the super-structure are not present as energetic peaks in the spectra of the ground-motion recorded at its base.
Highlights
The Amphitheatrum Flavium, commonly known as the Colosseum, probably represents the most important heritage of the Roman Empire in Rome (Italy)
The horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio technique (H/V) and Fourier analysis (FAS) analysis have been performed for both day and night-time
As observed for stations in configuration C-B, the FAS analysis highlights differences among measured points that do not lead to significant differences in H/V spectral ratios (Figure 9)
Summary
The Amphitheatrum Flavium (hereinafter AF), commonly known as the Colosseum, probably represents the most important heritage of the Roman Empire in Rome (Italy). With more than 6 millions of tickets sold every year, it is the most visited monument in Italy and the second in the world, after the Great Chinese Wall. Such cultural and economical resource needs to be preserved and protected by any potential cause of degradation. In the 500 a.C. it was used as burial area, few years later as a castle. In the 1200 a.C. it was occupied by the Frangipane palace, later destroyed, but some building still remained there. For years and during the Italian Renaissance, the AF was subjected of material looting (marble, travertine, etc.), used to erect and decorate new buildings (e.g. Barberini Palace, Ripetta’s harbour). During time the monument was used as granary, and the external area of the AF was used both for poor buildings directly leaned against the monument and as breeding area
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