fischer strengthens the glass protective barrier of St. Mark's Cathedral

Permanently built secure on the water

fischer strengthens the glass protective barrier of St. Mark's Cathedral
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St. Mark's Basilica in Venice is an architectural masterpiece and a landmark of the city. In recent years, it has repeatedly been threatened by flooding. A system of glass barriers will protect St. Mark's Basilica from damage caused by flood waves and inundations in the future. Using the fischer injection mortar FIS EM Plus in combination with fischer FIS A anchor rods, the approximately 1.2 m high glass panels were permanently and securely anchored in the ground.

It is one of the main attractions of the city and one of the most spectacular cathedrals in all of Italy: St. Mark's Basilica in Venice (Basilica di San Marco). Hundreds of thousands of visitors visit the church at St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) every year. For centuries, St. Mark's Basilica has been the center of public and religious life in Venice.

Property Data Sheet Markusdom Venice

Task:
Threat from flooding. A system of glass barriers will protect St. Mark's Cathedral from damage caused by flood waves and inundations in the future.
Year of Construction
The church dedicated to the Evangelist Mark was founded in 828, but its current appearance dates back to the 11th century.
Protective wall:
The glass protective wall of St. Mark's Cathedral consists of thermally tempered, multilayer glass and is attached to a structure made of stainless steel AISI 316.
Protective wall:
The 1.20 m high balustrade is intended to protect the basilica from flooding up to a flood level of 2 m above normal in the future. This way, the protective wall made of glass can keep the historic landmark dry and preserve it for future generations.
The church dedicated to the Evangelist Mark was founded in 828, but its current appearance dates from the 11th century. St. Mark's Basilica combines Byzantine architecture with other styles, such as later additions in Venetian Gothic. It is a testimony to the power of the Republic of Venice (Serenissima), the maritime and economic power from the 7th/8th century until 1797. Since 1807, St. Mark's Basilica has been the cathedral of the Patriarch of Venice.

From precious marble columns to numerous gold leaf mosaics that earned the basilica the name "Golden Basilica," many artistic treasures can be found here. It houses one of the largest contiguous mosaic surfaces in the world, covering 8,000 m². However, St. Mark's Basilica is repeatedly threatened by flooding. Visually discreet glass barriers are intended to preserve the historic landmark for future generations.

On the night of November 13, 2019, the water in Venice rose to 1.87 m above sea level. This is the highest recorded value since the devastating flood in 1966 with a level of 1.94 m. The saltwater entered the cathedral's crypt, caused structural issues, and damaged floor mosaics and masonry. The effects caused by efflorescence, such as on bricks, limestone, and marble in St. Mark's Basilica, are severe.

In this process, the salts, as components of the building materials, are dissolved by moisture and migrate out of the structure. They remain on the surface of the component as an unsightly deposit when the water evaporates. During evaporation and drying, the salts crystallize and expand in volume. Especially the limestone typical of Venetian architecture and the marble are heavily affected by the influence of saltwater. Sub-efflorescences form in the cavities and cracks of the stone, leading to flaking, cracking, and spalling.

Impressions of St. Mark's Cathedral

The glass protective wall of St. Mark's Basilica consists of thermally tempered, multilayered glass and is attached to a structure made of AISI 316 stainless steel. Approximately 150 linear meters of glass panels at right angles surround the basilica in its entire perimeter. The glass of the panels was chosen to be extra clear in order not to alter the color of the white marble on the facade of St. Mark's Basilica. This way, the view from St. Mark's Square to the cathedral remains unobstructed despite the barrier. To secure the stainless steel rails in the concrete foundation, Fischer injection mortar FIS EM Plus was used together with FIS A anchor rods.
The chemical anchoring system guarantees permanently secure anchors in concrete as well as subsequent reinforcement connections in accordance with European Technical Assessments (ETAs) and ICC approval for the USA and Far Eastern countries. Its service life according to the ETA is 100 years and, according to the Stuttgart engineering firm IEA, 120 years. The injection mortar is approved for seismic applications in performance categories C1 and C2 (ETA) or A to F according to ICC-ESR. It is also the safe choice in water-filled drill holes and in case of breakout fire (fire resistance R240). Its ICC approval also includes underwater installation.

The 1.20 m high balustrade is intended to protect the basilica against flooding up to a flood level of 2 m above normal in the future. Thus, the glass protective wall can keep the historic landmark dry and preserve it for future generations. 

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