Analysis and Interpretation of the Structural Failures of the Orthostate in the Northern Wall of the Athens Parthenon

摘要

An investigation into the typology of the failures recorded on the first row (orthostate) of the Parthenon northern wall and analysis of their causes was undertaken. Systematic marble detachment was observed at the areas of the connectors. Failures were categorised and five failure modes were defined. The understanding of the structural history of the building and the design of new interventions requires the analysis of the factors that produced the observed failures, namely mechanical action or rust. The analysis undertaken was based on the simultaneous consideration of: (a) the kinematic restrictions of each block separately; (b) the applied system of deformations/displacements on each structural member; and (c) the applied system of deformations/displacements on the wall itself. Moreover, a numerical analysis was also undertaken, and some preliminary results are also reported. The effect of the marble orthotropy (mainly the position of the marble soft plane inside the block) was also studied. The main conclusion of the study is that the mechanical action of the connectors could explain the observed structural pathology, whereas rust is not a necessary condition for the structural failures to occur.