Possible geometric genesis of a medieval cathedral (Alba, Piedmont, Italy)

Since 1998 extensive studies have been conducted on the cathedral of the city of Alba, both in order to assess the severity of a number of deterioration phenomena, and hence to be able to assess the current safety margins of the building in order to plan possible strengthening works. These studies were geared to the identification of the materials and models of behaviour. A finite element model was also developed as a valuable aid to gain insight into the structural behaviour of the cathedral. The results of the numerical model turned out to be in good agreement with the experimental findings. Finally, of special interest was the analogy observed between the geometric genesis that, in all likelihood, inspired the builders of the cathedral and the schemes that underlie the numerical model produced in the course of present-day studies. This article summarises the most important results of the studies conducted on the building so far.