Seismic Vulnerability of Heritage Churches in Québec: the Néo-Roman Typology

Abstract

Several seismic events have demonstrated the vulnerability of masonry churches. The long seismic history of the Italian territory has provided materials to observe and to study the structural performance of churches. Since the 1976 Friuli earthquake many studies have contributed to the definition of specific damage and vulnerability assessment methods for churches, based on the identification of macro-elements and kinematic mechanisms. In this context, the paper presents the application of a vulnerability assessment methodology developed and currently applied in Italy to a case study representative of the néo-roman church typology in Montreal, Québec. The study is part of a collaborative project between Politecnico di Milano and École de Technologie Supérieure of Montreal. The relevance of such a study derives from the moderate seismicity of Montreal associated to a high density of churches. Starting from a previous inventory of 108 churches in Montreal Island, the Néo-roman church typology was selected to be investigated. Specificities of this typology are the position of the bell tower in the middle of the façade and the interaction between the timber structure and masonry walls. This combination between the façade and bell tower macro-elements requires to reconsider the mechanisms associated to these elements in the original reference method. A detailed survey of the roof and bell tower timber structures of a néo-roman church was done, and a three-dimensional numerical model was developed for a better understanding of this type of structure. Modal analysis of a global model was then carried out and the first results of the modal shapes discussed.

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