The Leaning Tower Can Be Made Earthquake Resistant!

“The Leaning Tower Can Be Made Earthquake Resistant!”

By

Adolfo A. Bugayong

(Civil-Structural Engineer)

                                                             

      The strike of a moderate to strong or calamitous earthquake could never have its adverse effects upon the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy, after it shall have been made “earthquake resistant.”

      Although fatal earthquakes are striking frequently everywhere in the world, and Italy is crisscrossed by two major fault lines… crisscrossed by two major tectonic plates of Africa and Europe, this should not bring any worry or fear, as “seismic retrofitting” could always be done to make the tower earthquake resistant.

                                                                            

      This once in a lifetime “seismic retrofitting” shall endow the Tower with an everlasting or permanent ability or capacity to resist or hinder collapse at the strike of an earthquake, thereby protecting valuable and treasured properties for all times, to uphold and countenance the Tower’s treasured name as one of the irreproachable seven wonders of the world.

     

      In order to have “Earthquake Preparedness” and “Structural Integrity,” “Seismic Retrofitting” could be made to modify the existing footing structure into a “Raft/mat Floating Foundation,” assigning seismic loadings upon the structure based on modern Seismic Codes, so as to make it float like a boat on soft soil or water (and not sink), and at the same time making it “earthquake resistant,” thereby making the Tower resist or hinder collapse at the strike of any calamitous earthquake.

      In the following written discourse, it shall be explained how to make the Tower “earthquake resistant” through SEISMIC RETROFIT. A video on this regard, set in “Facebook” (under my name Adolfo Bugayong), and set in “You Tube” or “Google” (under the same above title or under my name), literally shows how the Tower would resist or hinder collapse by an earthquake, as it stands on very soft soil tantamount to liquid or water!

      Modesty aside, I have performed this type of job for 5 different concrete buildings struck by a 7.7 earthquake that liquefied the very soft soil (composed of very loose, very fine grained sand with silt, saturated with ground water) on which they were built upon. The details of this, are later disclosed hereunder.

      It would be a massive, total waste by negligence, if we just ignore or altogether disregard the importance of this imminent issue, leaving the irreplaceable and magnificent Tower of Pisa in the unpredictable hands of nature.

      Many so-called secure structures are actually not Earthquake Resistant at all. Many of them were constructed long before the development of modern Seismic Codes or earthquake-disaster preventive Engineering.  These are modern times, and new innovative ways have been researched, accomplished and tested to stabilize momentous and highly colossal and memorable centuries-old structures that include Historic Monuments like the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy.

                                                             

      The Leaning Tower of Pisa can be re-enforced in a way that earthquakes and other distressing and destructive calamities would not render the Tower of Pisa helpless, dismantled and desolate,  unlike the unfortunate disasters that repeatedly devastated or wiped out critical areas in Japan.

      I firmly believe the Tower of Pisa is not just a tourist attraction but a “miracle” on its own. However, it needs full and profuse attention as soon as possible. The Tower is not only part of Italy’s heritage, but of the whole world. Italy has been given a gift from God, and it is our (everybody’s) duty to preserve and keep it… because the Tower’s historical value and prestige is of unparalleled magnitude, enormously worthy of exceptional preservation. God bountifully Bless Italy!

Detailed  DISCOURSE:

      Thanks to the 1990-2002 stabilization works by Tower Engineers, the Leaning Tower, now or at any time in the future, will never collapse by gravity! 

      The praiseworthy “soil-extraction” work by Tower Engineers which neatly and proficiently removed the soil from one side of the footing of the Tower (that reduced its 4.5 meter-lean by half a meter), “aborted” and “delayed” the expected fatal or catastrophic collapse (by gravity) in the 1990s. This near-collapse was due to the relentless or stubborn 800 year-old leaning and falling motion through the pull of gravity upon its inclined structure.

      If after 200 years later, when the Tower goes back (by gravity) to its angle of near-collapse as in the 1990s, the “soil-extraction” shall be “repeated” to halt or abort any collapse (by gravity), as disclosed by Tower Engineers. This “soil-extraction and repeat strategy,” is the reason why the Tower will Never collapse by GRAVITY…  now or in the future. Thanks to the tower Engineers for a meritorious job.

                                         

      The “triumphant” rehabilitation works performed, obstructed and frustrated the expected ruinous collapse by gravity. However, in spite of all these gargantuan, impressive and meritorious efforts to suppress, block or hinder fall or collapse (by gravity), the Tower, at present, is not earthquake resistant.  

                                        

      This “raft/mat floating foundation” that would be the product of said Seismic Retrofit, shall give the Tower sufficient earthquake-resistance, while giving it the ability to float on very soft soil or water through the power of buoyancy, so that when an earthquake strikes, the water or soft soil will act as a Seismic Base Isolator. This same “raft/mat floating foundation” is the best and most appropriate for very soft soil tantamount to liquid or water like that at the Tower. The Tower will float like a boat, so that soft soil tantamount to liquid is no longer a problem.

      It is not “weak soil” to blame for any sinking, tilting or collapsing of a structure. This is  because in Engineering, there is always an appropriate and effective Footing Structure or Footing System to fit or match… any type of soil, whether that soil may be “hard as rock” or “soft as water”!

      On the other hand, the coming and expected collapse (by gravity) by 200 years later, is a simple confirmation that the Tower is, at present, “not earthquake resistant.” If the Tower is going back towards its angle of impending fall in the 1990s due to ‘gravity’ and soft soil, it is not earthquake-resistant.

                                                                                                                

       As of now, the Tower, regardless of whether it has been put to partial or full upright position, is  still  carried by the “same”  flawed,  old,  incapable,  inefficient and  inappropriate  “footing structure” that should receive seismic retrofit that would transform said footing structure into a raft/mat floating foundation.   

(Item No. 1):

How can the Tower become earthquake-resistant and “FLOAT like a BOAT” on soft soil? 

     The Tower can become “earthquake-resistant” and float like a boat on soft soil by directly and physically modifying or transforming its flawed and inefficient footing structure into a raft/mat floating foundation through Seismic Retrofit, upholding modern Building Seismic Codes.  (Please see my accompanying VIDEO with a model Tower actually floating on water or soft soil, utilizing the water or soft soil as a Seismic Base Isolator.)

                                                                                                     

(Item No. 2): 

Raft/Mat Floating Foundation through Seismic Retrofit in very loose/soft soil saturated with ground-water?   Is this not “fantasy” or  “hallucination”  and  “delusion”?...

     This is not fantasy or delusion! I have repeatedly performed this kind of work on five (5) concrete buildings which were stricken by a killer earthquake of 7.7 magnitude that caused them to sink and tilt on very soft soil (saturated with ground-water) that succumbed to earthquake-liquefaction.  I brought them back to normal position and modified or transformed individually their flawed and inefficient footing structures into “raft/mat floating foundations,” giving each concrete building the ability to float on soft soil, and sufficient earthquake-resistance.  

(Item No. 3):               

How do we know that at present,  the Tower  is  “not earthquake-resistant?”

     Let us consider the following facts:

(1.)   The Tower Engineers said (in context) that in the event that the Tower will return or go back to its dreadful  lean in the 1990s when it was about to fall or collapse (by gravity), they would “repeat” the soil-extraction works. The Tower’s  “return”  to that dreadful lean by gravity, (not by earthquake), shows that the Tower is “not earthquake-resistant.”  

      (2.) The Tower Engineers predicted that it would take about 200 years for the Tower to  return or get back to its angle of fall or collapse (by gravity) in the 1990s. Collapsing by gravity 200 years later, shows that the Tower is not earthquake-resistant.

      (3.) The “soil-extraction” works reduced the 4.5 meter-lean of the Tower by half a meter. That reduction or lean-reversal was made in the MIDDLE of the stubborn 800 year-old leaning/falling motion. Therefore, when the lean-reduction was removed or canceled, the same stubborn 800 year-old leaning/falling motion will resume. This is analogous to blood-flow in the human body. When the obstruction to the blood-flow is removed, the blood-flow (or stubborn leaning/falling motion) resumes. This resumption of its stubborn tilting/falling motion (by gravity) shows that the Tower is “not earthquake resistant.”

   (4.)  The Tower is not earthquake-resistant, because  there has been no NO Seismic Retrofitting performed that would modify or transform the existing flawed footing structure into a “raft/mat floating foundation” assigning seismic loadings while upholding Seismic Building Codes that would give the structure “power to float” (on soft soil through “buoyancy”) and sufficient “earthquake-resistance.”   

        (5.)  Record-performance of the Tower has shown that it sank three (3) meters into the ground and tilted four and a half (4.5) meters from the vertical axis without an earthquake strike. The structure  sank and tilted by gravity and not by earthquake. This shows that the Tower is not earthquake-resistant from the very beginning! 

         (6.) The Tower was about to fall (by gravity) in the 1990s as per estimate by engineers, due to the 800 year-old relentless pull of gravity alone upon its inclined body (minus an earthquake strike).  This shows that the Tower is not earthquake-resistant.  

          (7.) After the “soil-extraction” works, even if there was “lean-reduction” that partially brought the Tower to upright posture  and  delayed the impending 1990s expected fall by 200 years, the structure is still carried by the same old, inefficient and inappropriate footing structure that has been proven a failure in countering or struggling against: (1.) sinking  (2.) tilting (3.) near fall by gravity in the 1990s, and now (4.) fall by gravity by 200 years later.  This shows that the Tower is never earthquake-resistant.  

     Clearly, the TOWER is consistently:  “not  earthquake-resistant.”

                                                 

(Item No. 4):

Footing-modification shall be made for earthquake-preparedness…

     This modification of the flawed and unworthy existing ring-type “footing” into a raft/mat floating foundation, shall be made for “earthquake preparedness” and “earthquake protection” in the light of the certainty and realism … about the truth that catastrophic earthquakes have been striking indiscriminately, frequently, unexpectedly and violently all over the world.  

(Item No. 5):

Italy is crisscrossed by 2 major  deadly fault lines….

     Italy is crisscrossed by two deadly major fault lines, and has gained the reputation as one of the most earthquake-prone countries in Europe. It is one of the most seismically active regions in Europe due to the collision of the two (2) major tectonic plates of Africa and Europe within its earthly territorial domain.

     Considering the seriousness of the profound seismic potential danger that the country is in, modification of its flawed footing structure into a raft/mat floating foundation through Seismic Retrofit would give it Earthquake Preparedness or Earthquake  Readiness or Earthquake  Integrity to suppress or hinder fall by earthquake.  

                        

(Item No. 6):

“Soil-extraction” cannot substitute for Seismic Retrofitting. It is DEFINITELY unable to make the Tower earthquake resistant!

     The “soil-extraction” or “lean-reduction” is certainly not Seismic Retrofitting on the flawed existing footing structure.  It cannot achieve the same tangible results and benefits acquired from seismic retrofitting that would modify or transform the existing flawed footing into a raft/mat floating foundation. Seismic retrofitting works are  modifications  or transformations performed directly upon structural elements like the footing, to make it able, strong, capable, efficient, appropriate and worthy to carry the structure,  able to resist and hinder collapse due to seismic activities, ground motion and soil-failure or soil weaknesses and helplessness.  Excellent and effective earthquake-resistance can NEVER  be achieved by “soil-extraction”.

                   

(Item No. 7):

Seismic Retrofitting Objective:  To transform the old flawed tower-footing into a “Raft/Mat  Floating Foundation”...

     Most importantly, any seismic retrofitting should be focused towards the modification or transformation of the existing flawed footing structure into a “Raft/Mat Floating Foundation” which is the most needed, the most desirable, the most effective and the most appropriate for soft soils such as that at the Tower.   If there be any retrofitting work to be performed, this should be towards a modification to transform the flawed existing footing into a “Raft/Mat Floating Foundation.”

(Item No. 8):

Can weak or soft soil be blamed for vulnerability of Tower to collapse by an earthquake?

                 

     The existing footing or footing system of the Tower is “flawed" and “inappropriate,” and is to blame for all the failures in the past and those to come in the future (delayed future collapse by gravity by 200 years later),  because a great, excellent, able, tough and appropriate footing or footing system will never allow any sinking or tilting or collapsing of a structure that it carries, no matter how soft or weak (like liquid or water) the soil is. The flawed footing of the Tower has failed the Tower on soft soil, as it sank 3 meters deep and tilted 4.5 meters. It is the flawed and inappropriate FOOTING that is to blame - that has failed to effectively perform on very soft soil!

     It is not the soft soil to be blamed for any sinking or tilting or collapsing, because in engineering, there is always an excellent, tough and appropriate footing or footing system for any type of soil, whether it be very strong, or weak or very weak, similar to liquid or water.

    The footing system that it has, is a ring-type footing that is inadequate… no ability to resist  sinking and tilting. It is POWERLESS TO FLOAT on soft soil. Its past performance has shown its inadequacy and inefficiency, by sinking and tilting greatly.

     In Engineering, the best footing system that is effective, capable and appropriate for soft soil like water, is the Raft/Mat Floating Foundation, endowed with many capabilities like enhancing earthquake-resistance and giving power to a structure to float on soft soil like a huge  boat or barge, making the soft soil/water to perform like a “seismic Foundation Isolator” at the time of an earthquake, because of the power of buoyancy…  which the existing footing  does not possess.

(Item No. 9):

Indispensable and best for soft soil:    Raft/Mat Floating Foundation…

     This type of footing/foundation is the best and  indispensable for soft soil that is prone to earthquake liquefaction;  best for soft soil (that is very deep) that renders friction piles worthless. This footing- modification and transformation through Seismic Retrofit, makes the structure “earthquake-resistant” so as to give capacity and strength to resist and hinder fall, not only by gravity, but by earthquake.

(Item No. 10): 

The “power” of the Power of Buoyancy…

     This modified footing structure that makes the Tower float like a boat on water, would automatically deal with, and solve the problems of very weak soil, fluctuating ground-water levels,  subsoil creep, progressive tilting/falling motions by gravity, inappropriate and ineffective footing system, and earthquake-resistance, to counter, suppress, resist and hinder collapse by a moderate to strong or calamitous earthquake!

(Item No. 11):

The “Only Key” to counter or hinder collapse by earthquake….

     This seismic retrofitting is aimed at modifying or transforming the existing flawed footing system into a  RAFT/MAT  FLOATING  FOUNDATION  which is the  “Only Key” for the EXISTING Tower to counter, battle, resist or hinder collapse of the Tower by a moderate to strong or calamitous earthquake.  

(Item No. 12): 

No raft/mat floating foundation through Seismic Retrofit… means “No Hope” to be “earthquake- resistant”…

                                                       

(Item No. 13):           

Is there need to modify through seismic retrofit the flawed footing structure as soon as possible?

Yes, to make it earthquake prepared.

(Item No. 14): 

Destructive and fatal earthquakes are REAL!    Is the Tower “PREPARED”?

     The Tower can only be earthquake prepared if the existing flawed footing structure shall have been modified or transformed into a raft/mat floating foundation. (“In the last days, there will be many earthquakes in diverse places.” – Bible.)    

       

(Item No. 15): 

No Seismic Codes…. no Raft/Mat Floating Foundation…. for more than 800 years….

                                          

     The Tower was built more than 800 years ago, when Seismic Codes have never been introduced, or still beyond the knowledge of man, as modern Seismic Codes were in effect in the late 1960s and 1970s, and even in 1980s.  Like many other structures, it was designed and built without adequate detailing and reinforcements for seismic protection, deprived of Seismic Codes.

     Being flawed, ineffective and inappropriate from the very beginning, the footing of the Tower, in particular,  could not carry itself on soft soil,  that it sank 3 meters deep, and was unable to resist the 800 year- old continuous and persistent tilting by 4.5 meters from the vertical axis, even in the absence of an earthquake invasion. And, eventually, it was calculated to fall by gravity in the late 1990s. And now, it is again predicted to fall or collapse by gravity after 200 years… all because the flawed footing has never been modified or transformed into a raft/mat floating foundation through seismic retrofit for the much needed sufficient earthquake-resistance.                                   

        

(Item No. 16):               

Can the Tower receive Seismic Retrofitting-strengthening  and attain earthquake-resistance even if its “inclined posture” is retained or maintained?

     The answer is definitely yes. There is no need to put the structure to its vertical erect posture, if so desired. The present lean could be retained, and the retrofitting works upon its flawed footing/foundation, (to transform it into a raft/mat floating foundation) are made in conjunction with its leaning posture.          

(Item No. 17):                 

What is the purpose of this Expose’ that the Tower has not been made earthquake-resistant… and is very much vulnerable to collapse at the strike of an earthquake? The honest objectives of this uncovering are the following :

    (1.)  To declare the truth, for the good of all human kind, to be aware that the Tower is, at present,  not “earthquake-resistant,” and has not yet been made so.

    (3.)  To declare the truth, so the Owners of the Tower shall be able to find and implement effective and appropriate ways and methods of strengthening the Tower to make it “sufficiently” earthquake-resistant, even if its inclined posture is retained.

    (4.)  To declare the truth, so that proper and appropriate Seismic Retrofitting remedies may be  made, to make the Tower earthquake resistant, in order to have “Structural Integrity.”

    (5.)  To bring to the open for public discussion a major Global  Public Issue and concern, in a free world- market of ideas.

    (6.)  To declare the truth, for the preservation and protection of  valued properties and precious  human lives through Earthquake Preparedness.

                                                                                                                   

(Item No. 18): 

Relevant experiences and “expertise” of the Author…

           

     The Author of this Expose’ has performed Seismic Retrofitting (five times, for five different concrete buildings) directly on flawed concrete footings resting on (very soft) earthquake-liquefied soil, as he modified and transformed the inappropriate and ineffective footing structures or footing systems into “raft/mat floating foundation” for each of the five among the six buildings which were tilted by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake. He also restored all the six (6) heavily tilted concrete buildings back to their upright/normal positions.  The work was “straightening” and “strengthening”, as he worked to make the said buildings earthquake-resistant!

NOTE:  This work is FIRST of its kind, UNPRECEDENTED all over the world.

   “This is the first time, all over the world,” that:

        (1.) Six (6) Earthquake-tilted concrete buildings  resting on (very soft) earthquake-liquefied soil, were put back to their normal/upright positions, and

        (2.) The failing footing structures or footing systems of five (5) of these six (6) concrete buildings were each modified and transformed into “raft/mat floating foundation” through Seismic Retrofit,  to make them earthquake-resistant. 

(Question No. 1):              

Can you briefly identify yourself?

     I am Adolfo A. Bugayong, the Author of this discourse. I am a Civil-Structural Engineer, licensed by the Philippine government. Among others, I have worked as Project Engineer for high rise concrete buildings in Saudi Arabia and the Philippines;  as Bridge Engineer and Project Manager for concrete bridges in Malaysia and the Philippines. I am a permanent resident of the United States of America, particularly residing in Los Angeles, California.

(Question No. 2):  

Can you transform the Tower to become “earthquake resistant,” so it will resist or hinder fall or collapse at the strike of a moderate to strong or calamitous earthquake?

     Yes, with God’s grace.

(Question No. 3):       

Do you have personal experience and expertise on this particular kind of work?                                         

     Yes.

(Question No. 4):

How did it happen?

     On July 16, 1990, there was a killer-earthquake of magnitude 7.7 (45 seconds in duration) that struck two cities in the Philippines, namely Baguio City and Dagupan City, killing two thousand (2,000) people in the entire Luzon area, causing many buildings to collapse, one of which was the HYAT Hotel building in Baguio City that crumbled to the ground like an accordion. While many buildings collapsed, there were six (6) concrete buildings in Dagupan City which did not collapse, but which tilted heavily, because the ground on which they were standing, easily yielded to soil-liquefaction as the earthquake struck.

     These concrete buildings are located beside wide and active rivers, and were built on very loose, very fine grained sand with silt,  reaching up to 5.50 meters deep, saturated with ground-water,  (very similar to that soft soil at the Tower in Pisa.) At a depth of 13.00 to 16.00 meters, the soil is SILT with very fine grained sand and little clay. These buildings were not on piles, and were either having continuous or semi-continuous concrete footings.

     When the earthquake struck, this soil easily gave in to liquefaction, causing these six concrete buildings to heavily tilt like the leaning Tower of Pisa. The City Engineer of Dagupan condemned these buildings for demolition. However, the owners refused to demolish these buildings with the hope that one day, someone might be able to restore them to normal position and modify their sick and ineffective footing systems to give them the ability to be  “earthquake resistant,” that would resist or hinder collapse by an earthquake.

     Six (6) months after the earthquake, I visited the area of devastation in  Dagupan City and met with the owners of these six concrete tilted buildings, and my services were utilized, so that I was able to put the six (6) tilted concrete buildings back to their normal/vertical positions, and modified the existing faulty and failing footing structures/systems into Raft/Mat Floating foundation for each of the five (5) of the six (6) buildings.

(Question No. 5):

How did you strengthen these six earthquake-tilted  concrete buildings?

     First, I brought these six (6) concrete buildings back to their normal/upright positions. Then, by way of Seismic Retrofit, I modified or converted (for 5 of the 6 buildings) the defective and failing footing structures/footing systems  into “raft/mat floating foundation,” which is the best for soft soil, giving the structure earthquake-resistance and capacity to float like a huge boat on very soft soil tantamount to water.  

(Question No. 6):

In brief, how did the earthquake affect the weak or soft soil on which these buildings were built upon?  

     The soft soil, saturated with ground-water, “liquefied” or “turned liquid” in form at the strike of the earthquake, losing much resistance for the buildings, so they sank and tilted. Mezzanine floors were demolished to recover lost headroom for first floors.

(Question No. 7):

How tall were these concrete buildings, and how vulnerable are they to collapse?

     The tallest was five (5) stories high, but “very slender,” having a width of  only one-half  that of the Tower- diameter. (Tower- diameter is 15.5 meters.) The building’s length is 63 meters.

(Question No. 8):

Did you have much trouble with the ground-water?

     As the saturated soil was removed from the ground-surface level way down to below the concrete footings, water from beneath the ground would shoot up like water fountains. The saturated soil flows like liquid when scoured.  As water is poured from above and unto your feet, your feet easily and quickly go down into the very loose, very fine grained sand with silt.  Rainy season just came in, when the work was started.

                                       

(Question No. 9):   

Can you show us documentary proofs like newspaper and magazine publications or photographs that you did such earthquake strengthening/retrofitting works upon these buildings which tilted due to earthquake liquefaction?

     Yes. Together with this discourse or discussion, are electronic copies of photographs of these buildings and seven (7) different national newspaper and an international magazine publications with their brief comments about my earthquake-rehabilitation/stabilization performance.   

     These newspaper and magazine publications and the pictures of the concrete buildings (rehabilitated by putting them back to normal, upright positions… and modifying their existing and ineffective footing structures into raft/mat floating foundations), can be seen on “Google” or “You Tube.” (Please see the accompanying Video.)

(Question No. 10):

Can you enumerate the publications with their dates and brief comments?

     The following, are the newspaper and magazine publication outlets with their dates and brief comments about my accomplished (first of its kind - unprecedented) works:

1.  The Sunday Punch of Dagupan City, calls my performance as… 

     “Miracle” ….…..in their May 19, 1991 issue.

2.  The Weekly Guardian of Dagupan City, calls my performance … 

     “Unusual” ……..in their  Aug. 10, 1991 issue.      

3.  The Sunday Punch of Dagupan City, calls my performance …

     “Believe it or not” …….. in their Oct. 13, 1991 issue.

4.  The national newspaper Philippine Star, tagged the undersigned as   

    “Superman” …….. in their Oct. 20, 1991 issue.     

5.  The national newspaper Manila Bulletin, termed my performance as   

 “Incredible” …….. in their Nov. 20, 1991 issue.

6.  The national newspaper People’s Journal, calls the same achievements  

      “Remarkable” ……..  in their Jan. 12, 1992 issue.

7.  The Construction Management magazine of international circulation in their  

      Nov. 1993 issue, asked whether I would be invited by the authorities in Pisa,

      Italy to see the problem at the Tower.

  

(Question No. 11):

Is this work first of its kind, unprecedented all over the world, that (1.) earthquake-tilted concrete buildings due of earthquake-liquefaction, have been restored to vertical or normal position, and (2.) their sickly and failing footing structures or footing systems have been modified individually into a “raft/mat floating foundation,” through seismic retrofit to make them earthquake-resistant?

     Yes.

(Question No. 12):

Have you joined an internationally sponsored contest for Innovative Work Performances, featuring said rehabilitation works?

     Yes.

     As an additional information about these rehabilitation works, I refer you to the TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AWARDS CONTEST, sponsored by the Wall Street Journal/Wall Street Journal Europe/Wall Street Journal Asia. Winners were chosen and featured in The Journal Report appearing in The Wall Street Journal’s three global editions on September 24, 2007.

     I joined in this INNOVATION Awards Contest and electronically submitted all my supporting  documentation  by June 1, 2007, …. to  innovation@wsj.com.  There were hundreds of contestants all over the world who joined the contest.

(Question No. 13):   

Have you personally gone to Pisa, Italy to see the Tower and climb upon it, and assessed the possible earthquake-resisting work?

     Yes.   

(Question No. 14):  

Can you share some videos and pictures of yourself you took at the Tower in Pisa, Italy?

     Yes.

You may view my video on “YouTube” or “Google,” taken personally at the premises of the Tower in Pisa, Italy on October 23, 2010. While I spoke, the Tower was at my back. In brief, this same exposition was presented in that 9 min. video. Some photos at the Tower are copied here.

(Question No. 15):

If given the opportunity, how would you stabilize the Tower?

     As I have individually transformed the five (of the 6) earthquake-tilted concrete buildings  into “earthquake-resistant” structures that would resist or hinder collapse at the strike of an earthquake, I will do the same to the inclined Tower of Pisa.

     I have actual, real and “exclusive” experience and “expertise” on this unique kind of work on very soft soil as it gave-in to earthquake soil-liquefaction. As I have done (through Seismic Retrofit) in Dagupan City, Philippines, where I modified or transformed the existing failing, ineffective and inappropriate footing structures or footing systems into Raft/Mat Floating Foundation for each of the  buildings,  I will do the same for the Leaning Tower. It is not necessary to put the Tower to normal or vertical position. The inclined posture could be retained, and the seismic retrofitting design and works can be done in conformity with the inclined tower-posture.

     The modification or transformation of the flawed footing structure into raft/mat floating foundation (in compliance with Seismic Codes) through seismic retrofit, is enough to empower the Structure with the power and ability to be earthquake-resistant, to float like a boat through the power of buoyancy, and to resist and hinder fall or collapse at the strike of a moderate to strong or catastrophic earthquake… because it shall have become  sufficiently “earthquake-resistant.”

(Question No. 16):

Are you aware that the soil on which the Tower is standing on is very soft or weak, that a little excavation on its soil causes the Tower to tilt?

     Yes.

(Question No. 17):

Can you guarantee that in case you may be able to do the seismic retrofitting works for the  transformation of its footing structure into an earthquake-resistant one, the Tower will not collapse while you are in the process of doing said rehabilitation works?

     Yes, without any fraction of a doubt.                                          


(Question No. 18):

Will your rehabilitation scheme or earthquake retrofit to stabilize or make the Tower earthquake-resistant, be  “permanent” and be made only “once” and for all generations?

     Yes.

(Question No. 19):

How sure are you that your rehabilitation scheme and performance will be very sufficient,   most effective and appropriate one?

     Very sure.  

(Question No. 20):

Are you willing to share your services and expertise in case the Italian government would ask  you?

     Yes.

(Question No. 21):

How would anyone communicate or get in touch with you?

     I could be contacted through my e-mail address at  adolfbugayong@yahoo.com  and through my cell phone at:   1-818-448-5423,  (Los Angeles, CA 90004)

     Thank you very much for sharing your precious time.  May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you.

Discourse by:

ADOLFO  A. BUGAYONG  

Member: Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines