Seismic Performance of Masonry Cross Vaults. Learning from historical developments and experimental testing
Considering the seismic behaviour of cultural heritage buildings, recent earthquakes have emphasi... more Considering the seismic behaviour of cultural heritage buildings, recent earthquakes have emphasised the high vulnerability of vaulted structures. In this regard, the present thesis deals with masonry cross vaults, among the most diffused and fascinating structural typologies of the European cultural heritage. After a thorough review of cross vault historical developments, the focus is shifted to the shaking table tests of a scaled arch. These two points provided valuable information to calibrate the finite element model of cross vault, discussed next. Finally, the influence of the main geometrical and mechanical parameters on the seismic capacity of cross vaults are examined by means of a sensitivity analysis.
International Journal of Architectural Heritage, 2016
The history of cross vaults began almost two thousand years ago with a widespread use during the ... more The history of cross vaults began almost two thousand years ago with a widespread use during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, becoming nowadays one of the most diffused and fascinating structural typologies of the European building cultural heritage. However, conversely to the undeniable excellence achieved by the ancient masons, the structural behaviour of these elements is still at the centre of the scientific debate. In this regard, with the aim of reviewing the knowledge on this subject as a concise and valuable support for researchers involved in conservation of historical buildings, with a focus on design rules and structural analysis, the present study firstly introduces the cross vaults from a historical perspective, by describing the evolution of the main geometrical shapes together with basic practical rules used to size them. Then, the paper deals with the subsequent advancements in structural analysis methods of vaults, until the development of modern limit analysis.
Considering the relevance and the artistic value of cross vaults in European seismic prone areas,... more Considering the relevance and the artistic value of cross vaults in European seismic prone areas, a parametric study on the seismic capacity of this element is presented. In particular, the behaviour of the so-called groin vault is discussed, i.e. intersection at a right angle of two semi-circular barrel vaults. The influence of span, rise, thickness, infill, and masonry tensile strength is investigated with respect to two boundary conditions, representative of typical vault configurations within heritage buildings. The analyses were performed using an upper bound approach of standard limit analysis. For the sake of clarity, the adopted code framework is briefly reviewed. With the aim of identifying the most frequent failure mechanisms, the outcomes of the parametric analysis have been visually inspected and sorted according to the input parameters. Aiming towards a simplified assessment criterion, the resulting list of parameters was subsequently processed through multiple linear regression analyses that can help practitioners in quick seismic evaluation.
Considering the long-lasting history of the masonry arch theory, the investigation of its dynamic... more Considering the long-lasting history of the masonry arch theory, the investigation of its dynamic behavior is a relatively recent issue, which is mostly focused on the analytical formulation of the SDOF four-link rigid block mechanism. With the aim of better understanding the seismic response of vaulted masonry structures, the present study is focused on the performance of a scaled arch assembled by dry-joint 3D printed voussoirs. Due to the susceptibility of rigid bodies to base impulse excitation, the tests accounted for a set of windowed sine impulses that allowed computing a failure curve in the frequency-amplitude domain. In order to track the in-plane motion of selected points, a feature tracking based measuring technique was employed. The results have been compared with a finite element model with voussoirs assumed infinitely rigid and friction interface elements, showing an appreciable match. Eventually, the outcomes of impulse base motion tests available in literature were ...
The damages occurred during recent seismic events have emphasised the vulnerability of vaulted ma... more The damages occurred during recent seismic events have emphasised the vulnerability of vaulted masonry structures, one of the most representative elements of worldwide cultural heritage. Although a certain consensus has been reached regarding the static behaviour of masonry arches, still more efforts are requested to investigate their dynamic behaviour. In this regard, the present paper aims to investigate the performance of a scaled dry-joint arch undergoing windowed sine pulses. A feature tracking based measuring technique was employed to evaluate the displacement of selected points, shading light on the failure mechanisms and gathering data for the calibration of the numerical model. This was built according to a micro-modelling approach of the finite element method, with voussoirs assumed very stiff and friction interface elements. Comparisons with existing literature are also stressed, together with comments about scale effects.
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Papers by Angelo Gaetani