BRANCUSI ENDLESS COLUMN, ROMANIA: DYNAMIC RESPONSE AND RELIABILITY UNDER WIND LOADING

The Endless Column in the sculptural ensemble of Targu Jiu in Romania, is an exceptionally valuable artistic and technical work, conceived and made by the great Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi. Recently, UNESCO asserted that: "The column as a whole is not only a masterpiece of modern art, but also an extraordinary feat of engineering. Its double function and unique message make it imperative that all possible efforts be mustered to save it." Based on such premise, an international co-operative research programme was organised to evaluate the actual behaviour of the monument and the perspectives for its maintenance. With this aim, this paper describes full-scale experiments, finite element models, wind tunnel tests and preliminary analyses of the wind-induced response of the Column.