Structural Investigation through Digital Modelling of Two Domes by Ferdinando Crivelli

Domes were one of the features that made religious buildings grandiose and, with their imposing presence, often defined city skylines. However, before the development of modern construction science, building domes presented a significant challenge to builders, often resulting in numerous designs and revisions that delayed completion by decades, if not centuries. The vulnerability of these structures means they remain one of the most delicate aspects of restoration and consolidation work. For this reason, it is particularly important to understand how they behave. The study of two 19th-century domes designed by Ferdinando Crivelli in Bergamo — the cathedral dome and the church of S. Andrea dome — demonstrates how three-dimensional digital modelling can be used as a valuable preliminary tool in assessing the behaviour of these structures.