The structural assessment of the travertine façade of the Banco di Napoli Palace in via Toledo in Naples: An example of a mixed concrete–steel–masonry monumental building in the decade 1930–1940 in Italy

ABSTRACT

In Italy, from 1930–1940, many governmental palaces were constructed, being characterized by monumental massive façades, realizing a simplified neoclassical architecture. This article deals with one such examples, the “Banco di Napoli” Palace in via Toledo in Naples (Italy). The building was designed by Marcello Piacentini, eminent architect of the fascist regime. Concrete was used as novel building material, both reinforced with metal bars or lattice structures and as block elements, settled up in masonry walls, and travertine was used as cladding, laid down with hidden metal joints and directly exposed to atmospheric agents. The present study focuses in particular on the typical monumental façade of the palace, with the purpose of investigating the cracking out-lines surveyed at the top level. The façade opus and cracking layout were accurately noticed through visual inspection and non-destructive techniques, such as endoscopy and pacometry. Thus, the structural assessment of the façade fabrics, by matching the outputs of in-situ tests, laboratory experiments and structural analysis was carried out in order to evaluate the structural safety and detect the points of weakness of the structures, leading to the identification of possible retrofitting interventions.

KEYWORDS:

• Mixed concrete–masonry buildings
• monumental façades
• non-destructive techniques
• semi-destructive techniques
• structural assessment of monumental buildings
• travertine claddings

Acknowledgments

The activity was carried out under the commitment of the Property and logistics directorate of the INTESA SAN PAOLO Group Services (Eng. Luca Tedesi, chief director; Eng. Luigi Boiardi, chief of the service Asset & Property Management; surveyor Simone Sprecapane, chief of the service Project & Facility Management). The operational team following the works was composed by Engg. Antonio Rainone, Mario Saviolo and Mr. Pasquale Pironcini, with the cooperation of Engg. Carlo Corigliano and Massimo Pignatelli. Eng. Giuseppe Castaldi, as external consultant, was the supervisor of works.

INTESA SAN PAOLO established an agreement with the Department of Structures for Engineering and Architecture (DiSt) of the University of Naples Federico II (UNINA, Naples, Italy). Scientific responsibles of the activity were Proff. Raffaele Landolfo and Beatrice Faggiano of the DiSt, with the collaboration of Dr. Roberta Fonti. The experimental campaign involved the STRAGO S.p.A. diagnostic Laboratory (Eng. Nicola Ciancia) in the 1st phase and the DiSt laboratory (eng. Marco Cocca) in the second phase, under the coordination and direction by Prof. Faggiano and Landolfo. The authors acknowledge also Gianni Fiore for his technical support during the second phase tests and Dr. Marco Bossio for the support in the measurement of the masonry moisture and degree of corrosion of metal elements.