European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 30, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pisa s leaning Tower May lose a Little of its tilt by Mercer Cross National geographic soon the leaning Tower of Pisa May lean a Little less. Eight Hundred years after construction began on this engineering and aesthetic Marvel a 13-member International commission has arrived at a plan to stabilize it. It is the first such agreement Ever reached by one of 17 commissions that have sought solutions to the tilt of the 180-foot-tall cylindrical Tower since the 13th Century. Fifteen of those groups have pondered the problem in this Century alone. Whether the Tower saving project will go ahead however depends on the Vicissitudes of the italian government. Some commission members Are sceptical anything will happen. But they Are unanimous on one Point the delicately Graceful Campanile or Bell Tower of the Cathedral of Pisa eventually will topple unless something is done. Quot certainly the Tower will not survive in the present situation More than 30 to 50 years Quot says Michele Jamiolkowski the commission chairman. At a meeting in Pisa earlier this year the commission voted 12-1 to proceed this Spring with phase one counterbalancing the North Side of the lower part of the eight tiered Campanile with As much As 1,100 tons of Lead weights. Attached near the base the weights will it is hoped stabilize the Tower s southward lean of some 16v2 feet. The Structure has been Tilting since at least the 13th Century because of uneven settling of the ground beneath it. Quot the Tower will look As though she has a Toothache Quot says Gerald a. Leonards the Only . Member of the commission. Quot but this is not inappropriate while we Are ministering to her  some commission members estimate that the counterbalancing weights will remain in place two to three years while the engineers using sophisticated electronic measuring equipment and computers evaluate the results. The next More permanent phase has t been determined. At this Point a majority favors placing a Concrete ring around the foundation with anchors sunk into the soil to create additional tension and slightly reverse the Tower s inclination. But another commission member Fritz Leonhardt a Blunt spoken 83-year-old Engineer from Stuttgart Germany wants to go further. In addition to the Concrete ring he proposes putting a huge weight on the ground on the North Side of the Tower to compact the soil and gradually reduce the Tower s tilt. Leonards a soil mechanics specialist and engineering professor Emer itus at Purdue University in Lafayette ind., foresees the Day when the overhang would be reduced to about 16 feet. I Monhardt s proposal would reduce it even More. Whatever is going to happen must be done soon Leonhardt argues. Quot we should continue with final stabilization very quickly. Otherwise the Tower will  leonards agrees. Quot one of my concerns Quot he says Quot is that the creep rate of the tilt is constant a which Means the Tower is unstable a or May even be increasing which Means something s going to happen  so far to give the Tower greater structural stability the commission earlier decided to Girdle the lower highly stressed sect is w Ith unobtrusive stainless steel bands. And to help stabilize the set it in nearby water Wells Are being shut Down to pre ent further drainage from beneath the Tower s foundation but neither of those two decisions will be enough. The latent  m about the Pisa Tower was sounded in i �?~>89 when an. It her i 2 ill Century Tower collapsed in pasta Italy killing three a Zanders. The next year the inter num Mal commission was appointed and the internal spiral Stum am. A the i  her be a a risible an i the til Liing .0 i. Closed to the Public it i a idies. It meth Xis some of Themi n a. Huv it been in it a. It a e. I to  e t.  i 11.is t eel i i. In i Elt >1 i Exiaa National geographic twice a year during the mid june Celebration honouring St. Ranieri Pisa s Patron Saint the leaning Tower is illuminated. At left is part of Pisa s 11th-Century Cathedral built before the Tower. Had Fiumef. His litter Era Esol opinion and to. De main hurdles. Me. Get who. H is not Likely to go away italian politic s not Money is the underlying problem -.a, lie m i h it 1 t a i r 11 h in Ian 110 in of ski. A proles is a ols a a him Hie of the f Elt Fluk Al t  a it 11 . A c. A. A r. Us e. Ill s die Oil a m k 1 i r i Hen unless parliament in ikes another tem firary Extension everything will Stop again Quot Damioli i ski say s and things will remain As they Art or have to Start All Over i he Tower is the i Vel i it Pisa s Piazza Dei  0i1, the set Juare of Mira it Les a stunningly Flea Utill a. A my luge of in a. An i Mil. Lings reman lers i >1 the a i a Days. .1 a. An e i n Raul a Natii m  i he Enqu. N e a Imp Niue a. Brought ref x you v i As i i e Aini k mill.1 a. M right Ket ales to i  a i. A a it get a l he ii. A e a i a. E. M my c i s  he t m v a i 1 i i if  a i