Two collapses occurred in rapid succession and affected the Torre dei Conti in Romecausing the partial collapse of some vertical elements and internal floors. The structure of the Imperial Forums was currently the subject of static consolidation interventions financed by PNRR funds, also aimed at re-functionalizing the internal spaces. The first collapse occurred on November 3 at 11:30 am, while the second occurred at 11:40 am. Five of the eleven workers present on the construction site at the time of the disaster were involved: one of them unfortunately lost his life. The rescue operations were particularly complex precisely because of the second collapse, which occurred further compromised the stability of the tower.
The dynamics of the collapse of the Torre dei Conti in Rome
It is difficult to say at the moment what was the cause of the collapse of the Court of Auditors in Rome. What can instead be deduced from the images is the clear weakening of the structural system associated with the first collapse, which he saw the complete disintegration of an external wall element orthogonal to the closing perimeter wall of the tower. In cascade, this generated an important static discontinuity in the perimeter walls and the consequent weakening of the remaining parts.
The supporting structure of the tower is made up of a wall system that was – following its implementation – strengthened by external spurs/buttresses. The importance of this element in the wall organism is conditioned by the type of horizontals present (if, for example, made up of pushing elements such as vaults) and by the degree of connection it has with the walls orthogonal to it.
Given the rapidity of the second collapse, it is possible to hypothesize two plausible scenarios:
- The collapsed part of the masonry also served as a constraint on the vertical discharge of the existing floors. In this way, since a significant part of the masonry is missing to support the attic, the emergence of a chain effect of collapses affecting the horizontal structures, now partially without support, appears plausible.
- The collapsed masonry caused the failure of any temporary structures of safety and support of the floors which, having been subjected to work and perhaps weakened by vibrations, were in a condition more predisposed to collapse.
Regardless of what the trail of events actually occurred, now in these conditions the extent of the damage has a high degree of severity, so that the Tower was simultaneously declared completely unusable and at risk of collapse.
The restoration project and the work in progress
The Torre dei Conti was built in the 9th century on the initiative of the Conti family of Anagni: one monumental masonry structure, substantially achieved through the travertine coming from the Imperial Forums, located nearby. In the past centuries, the Tower has suffered major earthquakes and numerous collapses. The most important ones we remember date back to 1349 and the 17th century: on these occasions, the damage was such that it even reduced its height. Following these seismic events which simultaneously compromised its use and caused significant damage and cracks, the vertical structure of the tower was reinforced using external buttressessadly protagonists of news events today.
The Tower was currently the subject of a project structural recovery and safety measures, through static consolidation works. The project has an economic value of 6 million and 900 thousand euros and the construction site, inaugurated in 2022, should have been completed in 2026.
These are technical operations necessary and preparatory to the valorisation of the property and subsequent use by citizens and tourists. In fact, the project involved the refunctionalization of the internal environments, generating a new museum headquarters with focus on the Imperial Forums, as well as a Service Center of the Central Archaeological Area. In fact, the Tower has been in a state of abandonment since 2006, the year of the eviction of the public buildings it had housed until that year. Since that moment, it has no longer been used or maintained, a condition which has undoubtedly accelerated the phenomena of degradation due to its age and the constant harmful and uncontrolled effect of atmospheric agents.
The investigations carried out prior to the definition of the intervention strategies have identified for some time extensive cracking phenomena in the load-bearing wall facingsaggravated by the emergence of spontaneous vegetation which – through roots – accelerated its extension. Internally, they were already reported collapsed false ceilings, deteriorated fixtures and minor damage to paint. Furthermore, the top floors of the tower showed signs of significant deterioration induced by the continuous stagnation of water and its infiltration, following the detachment of the protective sheath of the floor of the tower.
