Safety assessment of the Jerónimos church in Lisbon

Abstract

Advanced (non-linear) analysis of historical constructions represents a key contribution for the understanding of the architectural heritage. The safety of a famous Portuguese church is addressed using two different finite element models for the nave and the transept. The complexity of the ornaments of the vaults calls for a mix of volume, curved shell and beam elements. A sensitivity study and a simplified buckling analysis are also carried out to provide further insight in the results. The analysis indicates that the safety level of the structure is low, probably due to the uniqueness of the structural conception.