This paper concerns the structural identification of historical masonry buildings with reference to a case study, which is discussed in detail. The building is located in Southern Italy (Lecce). It has an ancient vaulted roof that is complex and commonly found in old masonry structures. This study takes advantage of extensive historical and structural investigations of the building. Preliminary...

The mechanics of masonry structures have been for long underdeveloped in comparison with other fields of knowledge, presently, non-linear analysis being a very popular field in research. Masonry is a composite material made with units and mortar, which presents a clear microstructure. The issue of mechanical data necessary for advanced non-linear analysis is addressed first, with a set of recom...

Cathodic protection (CP) has been successfully employed to protect steel-framed masonry buildings from corrosion related damage. When a CP system is installed to protect the structural members, other metallic items which are within the fabric of the structure but are not in direct electrical continuity may suffer from stray current interactions, resulting in accelerated corrosion of the discont...

Infilled frame structures are commonly used in buildings. Masonry infilled RC frames are the most common type of structures used for multi-storeyed constructions in the developing countries, even in those which are located in seismically active regions also. Masonry infill walls are mainly used to increase initial stiffness and strength of reinforced concrete (RC) frame buildings. In the presen...

The European Lime Association (EuLA) have instigated a project to identify and quantify the benefits associated with the addition of hydrated lime to cement based mortars, and more importantly, filling the gaps that exist in the evidence in respect of the benefits of hydrated lime additions to workability, bond strength development, durability and in addition the modes of failure of mortars whn...

The aim of the present study was to predict damage to masonry by combining structural analysis and homogenization methods. In the case of a masonry structure composed of bricks and mortar, a third material is assumed to exist, which is a mixture of the two materials sandwiched between the other two. This new layer has a small thickness, a low stiffness and a given damage ratio. The mechanical p...

Abstract: In the present paper, a non-linear numerical study on the 13 century masonry bell tower of the church of San Pietro di Coppito is described. The aim is to have an insight into the causes at the base of the partial collapse suffered by the structure during the L’Aquila earthquake in 2009. To this aim, two different numerical analyses have been performed namely non-linear static (pushov...

The paradigm shift of digital fabrication encourages architects to incorporate the knowledge of using innovative materials and novel tools to solve problems in design and construction. However, the application of digital fabrication still needs more flexibility that allows different groups in a society to redesign fabrication processes based on their own needs and values. Looking at robotic fac...

Natural stone is a durable construction material which has been used through centuries for various types of structures. These structures are exposed to corrosive and degradation factors such as climate change and pollution, natural ageing, earthquake actions, increasing urbanization and even human negligence, potentially exposing them to irreversible structural damage and loss. Considering the ...