Behavior of the Leaning Tower of Pisa: Insights on Seismic Input and Soil-Structure Interaction

The most recent studies about the seismic behavior of the leaning Tower of Pisa that consider the soil-foundation-structure interaction date back to twenty years ago. From 1999 to 2001, the foundation of the monument was consolidated by means of under-excavation and the "Catino" at the basement was rigidly connected to the foundation. Meanwhile, significant progresses have been made in the field of earthquake engineering. Therefore, the need exists to assess the dynamic behavior of the Tower in light of the novelties occurred in the past decades. In the present study, the mechanical characteristics of the foundation have been calibrated comparing the outcomes of the experimental dynamic monitoring with the results of the finite element analysis performed on a simple but effective model. The scenario earthquakes for return periods equal to 130 years and 500 years are also presented.