Back in April, we listed some geotechnical engineering facts that you probably didn’t know, and some of the details about the Leaning Tower of Pisa made the top four list. Well, that tower is making news in geotechnical circles again this week. Because we’re always interested in what’s going on in the world of slope stabilization, foundation mechanics and geotechnical engineering here at Thorcon Shotcrete and Shoring, we thought we’d bring you this little piece of news from Purdue University.
This past week, Italian professor Michele Jamiolkowski spoke at a civil engineering lecture at Purdue, covering two of the world’s most famous and geotechnically complicated structures. Jamiolkowski gave a formal talk about one of the biggest copper tailings disposal facilities in the world (found in Poland). Later, Jamiolkoski gave a more informal talk about the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, where he provided insight into the structural work done on the tower over the last fifteen years to improve stabilization.
Leaning Tower of Pisa Fun Facts:
- In 1964, the Italian government requested help from the international geotechnical and civil engineering community to stabilize the tower after previous stabilization efforts failed. The catch? They had to stabilize the structure but maintain the tilt because it had become such a popular tourist attraction by that point.
- Galileo Galilei supposedly used the tower to illustrate his theory that rate of descent is independent from an object’s mass. In the famous story, Galileo used two cannonballs and dropped them from the tower. The story—or at least its location—is probably not true, however.
- The tower was closed for ten years between 1990 and 2001 to allow for reconstruction efforts after the collapse of another tower in Pavia in 1989 led to fears that the tower’s lean could lead to disaster. After more work was completed over the years, in 2008 engineers declared that for the first time ever, the tower has stopped moving.
Here at Thorcon Shotcrete and Shoring, we know we will never be involved in stabilizing a famous European building, but there are plenty of structures to stabilize, repair and maintain here in Colorado and states throughout the surrounding region. Our team of geotechnical engineers is dedicated to providing customized solutions for slope stabilization, shoring, infrastructure repair, foundation needs and more. From our headquarters near Denver, in Littleton, Colorado, we provide safety-focused work to keep projects running on time and within budget. Get in touch with us today to get started on your stabilization project.