Structural analysis of the timber roofs of the "Arsenale" of Venice

A study on the different typologies of trusses observed in the Arsenale of Venice is presented in the paper. Preliminary historical researches and surveys permitted their classification into the main categories of historical roof structures (simple truss, “Palladiana”, composite truss, etc.), whose specific variants have been added to modify the structural capacity, allowing the achievement of impressive results in both building and ship construction. The structural behaviour of original and modified roof system have been analyzed, by reproducing different loading conditions, in order to identify the maximum bearing capacity. Moreover, to evaluate the influence of the modification of the connection between the structural elements composing the trusses a FE modelling has been adopted. Comparative results and analyses among different typologies and conditions are discussed.