The Deformations of the Barrel Vaults of the Basilica of Maxentius.

The Basilica of Maxentius (307-313 AC) featured the largest barrel and groin vaults known to have been built under the Roman Empire and experienced a partial collapse at an unknown time during the Middle Ages. This paper studies the deformations present in today’s remains, as part of a deeper study of the overall structural stability of the building. The deformations were measured in a surveying campaign (total station) carried out in January 2011. The analysis of the data has concluded that the deformations are attributable to two main causes: they either respond to certain errors in the construction process or they are a consequence of the mechanical behaviour of the structure. Being able to understand these deformations has been crucial for gaining a better insight into the structural history of the building.