ON THE COLLAPSE OF MASONRY ARCHES

In this paper a constitutive equation for masonry arches is defined an d its main properties are proven; in this equation to each pair of gen eralized strains (epsilon, kappa), with epsilon the extensional strain and kappa the curvature change of the centre line, is assigned the pa ir of generalized internal forces (N, M), where N is the normal force and M the bending moment. Subsequently, the collapse of masonry arches is characterized and the static and kinematic theorems proven. Finall y, a method for determining the collapse load in the case of circular arches subjected to their own weight and a vertical point load applied at a point of the extrados is presented. The results obtained, of int erest in some applications, are summarized in a series of graphs.