Search

Abstract: This paper presents a technical, historical, and aesthetic study of the Maria Pia Bridge over the Douro River in Porto, Portugal which was designed and built by G. Eiffel and Cie. between 1875 and 1877. Through these analyses, this paper demonstrates the significance of this bridge due to its (1) economy as shown through the design competition, (2) efficiency and safety under self-weight, live, and wind loads as revealed by finite element analyses, and (3) elegance of form which is evaluated through the aesthetic motivation of the designer, international acclaim, and an on-site visual analysis. The primary purpose of the paper is not to suggest that designers today emulate the Maria Pia form, but to shed light on the thought process of the engineers at G. Eiffel and Cie. The conceptual design was imagined through considering the site constraints, the forces acting on the structure, and the erection procedure, ultimately leading to an economical project that won the design competition. This design-build approach can be used more often in 21st century design. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The University of Coimbra was founded in 1290. Erected between 1728 and 1733, the present Tower of the University is not only the symbol of the university, but the symbol of the city itself. A recent inspection of the tower, conducted to prepare restoration works, revealed some structural anomalies, including degradation of joints and cracking of stone blocks. In this paper we describe a study undertaken to assess rapidly the structural integrity of the tower, in order to minimize the delay of the previously planned non-structural intervention. A finite element model of the tower was built with ADINA software and calibrated with measured data obtained from ambient vibration, namely the mode shapes and the natural frequencies. Results point toward the probable non existence of structural problems. It was concluded that modal identification is a fast and reliable technique that can be used in-situ to establish the structural assessment of this type of construction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]