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Stabilising the leaning tower of Pisa

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Abstract

 The 56-m high "leaning tower" of Pisa was constructed in three phases between 1173 and 1370 on the alluvial sediments of the River Arno, central west Italy. Although the tower deviated from the vertical at an early stage, the continuing tilt has led to concern about its safety. Having reviewed the construction of the tower and the underlying geology, the paper discusses the history of the tilting and describes the temporary remedial measures undertaken and permanent stabilization proposed.

Résumé

La Tour penchée de Pise, de 56 m de hauteur, a été construite en trois phases de 1173 à 1370, sur les alluvions de la rivière Arno, dans le Centre-Ouest de l'Italie. Bien que la tour ait commencéà basculer très tôt, la poursuite de l'inclinaison dans le temps a conduit à se poser des problèmes de sécurité. Après avoir examiné les méthodes de constuction de la tour et présenté les terrains de fondation, l'article rappelle l'histoire du basculement de la tour, décrit les mesures conservatoires provisoires et propose des méthodes pour sa stabilisation permanente.

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Received: 22 December 1997 · Accepted: 22 January 1998

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Burland, J., Jamiolkowski, M. & Viggiani, C. Stabilising the leaning tower of Pisa. Bull Eng Geol Env 57, 91–99 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/s100640050025

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s100640050025

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