Structural Analysis of the Dome of the United States Capitol

The present Dome of the U.S. Capitol Building was designed and built from the 1850s to the 1860s and is a masterpiece of 19th-century engineering and construction. The majority of the Dome is comprised of cast iron; remaining elements are wrought iron. LZA Technology (LZA), A Division of The Thornton-Tomasetti Group, utilized investigative techniques used in the practice of forensic engineering to perform a comprehensive structural analysis and review of the Dome and concluded the following: (1) the U.S. Capitol Dome was brilliantly designed and well built; (2) the U.S. Capitol Dome is structurally sound, and capable of resisting all reasonably anticipated loadings; and (3) the current undertaking to waterproof the Dome will play an essential role in the longevity of the Dome structure, as it will assist in controlling and minimizing corrosion of the Dome's metal components.