Analyses of masonry vaults: a macro approach based on a 3-D damage model

A three-dimensional nonlinear finite-element analysis, based on a two-parameters damage model, has been carried out to study the behavior of two masonry vaults: a cylindrical barrel vault and a ribbed cross vault, for which the results of experimental tests were available. Such an approach, originally developed for concrete, reveals to be valuable in understanding the global behavior of masonry structures as well. In particular the numerical results are in good agreement with experimental data, both in terms of collapse mechanism (crack pattern) and failure load, demonstrating the ability of the proposed approach in analyzing large real structures. Within this approach, masonry is treated as a homogenized material, for which the material characteristics can be defined by using a homogenization technique as well as a micromodeling approach. The damage laws take into account for different behavior in tension and compression and have been validated with reference to available experimental data.