MASONRY-LIKE SOLIDS WITH BOUNDED COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH

This paper proposes a constitutive equation for masonry-like materials with bounded compressive strength. The general properties of this equ ation are proved and its solution is explicitly calculated. Subsequent ly, a numerical method is proposed in order to solve the equilibrium p roblem of masonry-like solids with bounded compressive strength. In pa rticular the derivative of the stress with respect to the total strain is calculated; this derivative will be used for calculating the tange nt stiffness matrix and then for solving the non-linear system, obtain ed with the discretisation into finite elements via the Newton-Raphson method. Finally, this numerical method is applied to the study of Mos ca's bridge in Turin and to the study of a three-dimensional circular reduced arch subjected to its own weight and a vertical load distribut ed along the extrados.