Case Study—An Extreme Example of Soil–Structure Interaction and the Damage Caused by Works on Foundation Strengthening

Abstract

This paper describes the works on foundation strengthening of the towers of the Cathedral of St. Theresa of Avila in Subotica and the damages caused by these works. Strengthening was performed by means of jacked-in piles and deep soil injection. The construction of the Cathedral began in 1773 and it lasted for several decades with frequent interruptions and changes to the project. The present appearance of the facade was created in 1912. According to historic data, several years after construction, the cracks appeared on the front facade. With time, these cracks became more pronounced, and in 2015, when the remediation project started, the total width of major cracks reached about 15 cm. The first contemporary attempt to repair the towers was made in 2017 by inserting piles beneath the foundations. These works were interrupted due to increased settlements and the appearance of new cracks. In the second attempt, the strengthening was performed by deep injection of soil with expansive resins. During these works, settlements and damages intensified even more, causing the works to be halted in 2018. Analysis of the whole structure and revaluation of all the results, obtained from continuous monitoring of settlements and crack widths from the previous period, led to the new remediation proposal. The imperative was to retain the original appearance of the Cathedral facades while performing the total reconstruction of the upper sections of the front facade. This implies that the overall weight of the reconstructed parts is to be decreased, while the strength is to be increased. Strong structural connections are planned, both among the two towers, and between the towers and the nave. These clear structural solutions will lead to reduced stresses within the existing brick walls, reduced contact soil pressures and ceasing of increased settlements and tilting of the Cathedral towers.