Konstantinos PSARRAS | Nikolaos MYRIDIS | Ioannis TEGOS
(Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece)
Keywords: Tsunami, Attic, Composite Architectural Style Church, New Technologies, High Seismicity
Abstract:
One of the most important samples of ecclesiastical Byzantine architecture of the Peloponnese is the Holy Apostles Church in Leontari, Arcadia. This Church belongs to a few-numbered group of monuments which follow the composite architectural style, which characterizes the Palaeologean Church Architecture of the 14th century in Mystras. The main characteristics of composite type Churches are: (a) The utilization of the attic (the above level of the ground floor) introduced by the Despots of Mystras and (b) the many-domes overlapping of the Church.
The Holy Apostles Church was the template for a project regarding a Church construction in the coastal area of Stalida, which is located in the eastern part of the city of Heraklion, on the island of Crete. The main reason why such a solution was selected was the danger of tsunamis, derived from strong earthquakes. The design of the structural system of the Church, considering that it is located in an extensive flat area, except for the conventional earthquake-resistant provisions, followed the provisions of the FEMA codes of the USA, so that the integrity of the Church after a possible hit by tsunamis is ensured. Such a hit is almost certain to occur in the lifetime of the project. The structural system consists of foundation, floor and roof slabs without beams, directly mounted on internal columns, as well as on shear walls on the perimeter. The danger of punching shear failure, derived from the overloading due to the sea water that may invade after a tsunami in the area of the Church, has been dealt with in accordance to the provisions of the Eurocodes 2 and 8. An external stairway that leads to the roof of the Church has been provided to rescue people being in the area, since the nearest elevations are at a sufficient distance from the coast.