Rotunda

Rotunda

Case studies

Published in George G. Penelis, Gregory G. Penelis, Structural Restoration of Masonry Monuments, 2020

The Rotunda is a newer monument that has significant structural issues that resulted from its structural form which exerts serious thrusting horizontal forces caused by the weight of the dome and transferred via the groin vaults to the external perimeter wall, pushing it outwards. It has come out from the analysis of the existing situation that the strength of masonry wall is inadequate to carry these thrusts. The principle of the intervention is the structural restoration and strengthening of the Rotunda so that it can adequately receive all static loads as well as have acceptable performance under a significant earthquake.

Free vibration of paraboloidal dome/shell with arbitrary parabola meridian

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Published in Alphose Zingoni, Insights and Innovations in Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Computation, 2016

Bohua Sun

A dome (from Latin: domus) is an architectural element that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere (Fig. 1). A dome can rest upon a rotunda or drum, and can be supported by columns or piers that transition to the dome through squinch or pendentive. A lantern may cover an oculus and may itself have another dome (Fig 2) (Wikipedia: Dome).

Restoration of the Margirgis Church and Roman Tower in Cairo

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Journal Information

Published in Structural Engineering International, 2020

Gregory Penelis, George Penelis

The rotunda is based upon a three-storey Roman tower (Eastern Roman Empire), circular in plan, built around the first century AD. The tower, with 27 m external diameter, consists of two rings of thick Roman masonry walls (opus caementicium) interconnected with radial walls (Figs. 1, 2).

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Case studies

Free vibration of paraboloidal dome/shell with arbitrary parabola meridian

Restoration of the Margirgis Church and Roman Tower in Cairo