Earthquake Engineering Research Institute
Learning From Earthquakes

Field team survey of the San Giovanni Battista church in Castelnuovo (TE)

February 23, 2018

Pictures taken by Eng. Paolo Morandi, Eng. Stefano Barone and Eng. Daniele Malomo representing Eucentre. 

 

Translation from Italian to English by Elide Pantoli (University of California, San Diego)

Date:                                     September 28th 2016

Category:                            Parrochial Church

Name of the structure:     Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista

Building typology:              Unreinforced masonry

Municipality:                        Castelnuovo, Campli (TE)

Epicentral distance:          [38 km]

Description of damage:

The structure is composed by two parts: (1) the church with two naves (which includes the sacristy located behind them) separated by two arcades; (2) the connected bell tower, which is part of the same system of the town door, to which it was annexed in later times. The pattern of damage to the church reveals that the earthquake of 08/24/16 was mainly directed in the longitudinal direction of the structure. In fact, there are severe shear-compression cracks in the arcades, and localized damage to the longitudinal steel chains. In addition, there were localized collapses of the thin clay-brick elements in the roof, and a very significant state of damage in the bell tower, with risk of collapse of large portions of it, especially the corbels and belfry. This latter presents many shear cracks, probably made worst by the last earthquake.  It is noted that the global level of damage is mainly due to the earthquake of 08/24/16.

 

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Figure 1. Figure 2. Figure 3.