The leaning tower of Pisa is located on the Piazza dei Mircoli in Pisa, Italy. It was built as a bell tower for the nearby cathedral. The tower was built in three stages covering a time span of about 200 years (1173 - 1178, 1272 - 1278, and 1360 - 1370).
Since its completion, the tower has begun to lean over time. For centuries, the leaning tower of Pisa has been a source of wonder to travelers from all over the world. The constant stream of tourists has not only provided a large economic boost to the local economy, but also has left its mark on the tower. High human traffic coupled with age and deterioration of the soil foundation (due to the development of the surrounding environment) has led to the gradual degradation of the tower's structural integrity. Since the tower closed to tourists in 1990, there has been a significant negative impact on the economy of Pisa.
This project aims to provide a numerical model developed with ANSYS Academic software that would become a valuable tool in the road to restoring the structural integrity of the tower and result in its eventual reopening to human traffic. By applying the technology we have today wisely, we can reach a balance between the needs of the local economy of Pisa and the cultural growth of those who visit the tower, in addition to the preservation of this important historical monument. Also, lessons learned from this endeavor can be applied to other historical structures facing a similar predicament. This research project addresses the effects of age and the proposed foundation changes on the structure itself. Specifically, the project shall use ANSYS Academic software to develop a detailed finite element model of the tower.
The model will then be used to:
The model will exploit the software's capabilities of handling multi-materials and the wide range of element types. It is hoped that the experience learned from this project with the Tower of Pisa will be directly applicable to the restoration of other historical monuments.