Greek temple and timber Pagoda in Japan : comparison of the aseismic structural performances

Comparing the aseismic performances of two historical monuments: Greek temples such as the Parthenon in Greece and five-storied timber pagodas in Japan, which survive for centuries, we found some significant similarities in structural performances. The dynamic analyses show that both, as a piled up construction, are based on the common concept of structural design, which we may call Flexible structural designing. Similarities in seismic behaviors between the column composed of marble drums in the Parthenon and the tall assembly of timber elements in five-storied Japanese pagodas are summarized as; 1) comparatively large damping effect at the joints with high non-linearity, 2) conspicuous improvement in shearing resistance produced by the dowels connecting the elements; and 3) generation of a restitutive force produced by the rocking movement of columns. Taking these factors into account, dynamic analyses have been carried out to examine the earthquake resistant capacity against the anticipated ground motions for a return period of 1000 years.