Investigation and Repairs of a Leaning Historical Bell Tower

The bell tower of an historical church in Houston, Texas, was noted to be leaning. Long-term tilt survey over a period of approximately six years revealed that the bell tower movement was cyclical in nature but gradually increasing. Field investigation revealed that expansive soils under the bell tower foundation was the primary reason for distress. Structural analysis revealed that the tilt of the bell tower was unlikely to cause stability problems. However, physical evidence and additional analysis indicated that cyclical movements of the bell tower would continue to cause visible distress in less structurally significant parts of the bell tower if the movement was not arrested. Given the historical significance of the bell tower, the church officials elected to correct the tilt as well to stabilize foundation movement. Specialized foundation repair techniques were used to correct the tilt and stabilize the foundation.