Stability and seismic vulnerability of the Stylite Tower at Umm Ar-Rasas

Abstract

The stability and vulnerability analyses carried out on the Stylite tower at Umm ar−Rasas, Jordan, are presented in this paper. The tower is a unique example of this kind of structure still existing. The soil and the structural material were analyzed by means of in situ ex− perimental tests. These consisted of Schmidt−hammer tests on stone blocks and passive seismic measurements. The stability of the tower was first analyzed, assuming an elastic – perfect plastic behavior in compression for masonry. Then the push−over seismic analysis was carried out, which was based on a single−mode approach and a finite solid element modelling with a Drucker−Prager yield criterion for masonry. The work is propaedeutic to the design of a retrofit intervention.