Three-dimensional mesoscale modelling of multi-span masonry arch bridges subjected to scour

Abstract

Many masonry arch bridges cross waterways and are built on shallow foundations which are often submerged and exposed to the scouring action of the stream. The limited resistance of masonry arch bridges to foundation settlements makes them very vulnerable to scour and calls for the development of advanced tools for evaluating and improving the capacity against this flood-induced effect. This paper describes a novel three-dimensional modelling strategy for describing the behaviour of multi-span masonry arch bridges subjected to scour at the base of the pier shallow foundations. A mesoscale description is employed for representing the heterogeneous behaviour of masonry units, mortar joints and brick-mortar interfaces, whereas a domain partitioning approach allowing for parallel computation is used to achieve computational efficiency. The scouring process is described via a time-history analysis in which the elements representing the soil are progressively removed from the model according to a specific scour evolution. The proposed modelling approach is first employed to simulate available experimental tests on a dry masonry wall subjected to the settlement of the bearing system and on a reduced scale brick-masonry bridge specimen subjected to scour-induced pier settlements. Subsequently, a numerical example consisting of a multi-span arch bridge subjected to the scouring action is presented to illustrate the potential of the proposed modelling approach and its capabilities for evaluating the vulnerability and risk of masonry arch bridges under flood scenarios.

Study on the Restoration of a Masonry Arch Viaduct: Numerical Analysis and Lab Tests

“…The arch in masonry arch bridges was analyzed as a two-phase material comprising bricks (or stones) and mortar [13,25]. An accurate mesoscale arch masonry model was also proposed [26][27][28][29][30]. The nonlinear response of brick-masonry arches was studied, including nonlinear interface elements for describing mortar joints and brick-mortar interfaces.…”

“…A numerical model of the masonry arch railway bridge was calibrated using dynamic modal parameters estimated from ambient vibration [34]. The problem of flood-induced scour on masonry arch bridges was also investigated using nonlinear three-dimensional modelling [29,35].…”

Rigid block and finite element analysis of settlement-induced failure mechanisms in historic masonry wall panels

“…Therefore, there is a need for developing assessment tools for the prediction of damage that should be based on a proper H description of the masonry structure and its non-linear behaviour. A number of approaches for the prediction of settlementinduced damages were proposed in the literature that consider masonry either as an assembly of discrete blocks [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] or as a continuum medium [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. The comparison between discrete and continuous models to study masonry behaviour is also a widespread topic [20][21][22].…”

Collapse Mechanisms of Masonry Buttressed With Settled Support

“…In recent years, many studies have been carried out by international researchers with the aim of studying masonry arch structures under ultimate actions. Most of these investigated the structural safety of masonry arch structures under seismic action [7][8][9][10] or ultimate traffic load [11], but only a few works have dealt with the problem of foundation settlement [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. Specifically, not a lot of research has been done with comprehensive analysis of masonry buttressed arches with spreading support.…”

“…Although rigid block analysis is the simplest type of analysis used for the structural assessment of masonry arches, it gives reliable results. More complex analysis [15][16][22][23] may give less reliable results than rigid block analyses, as some variables required for the definition of the complex structural model are unknown. This is the reason why some researchers have developed complex numerical models with a probabilistic approach, in which some variables are considered uncertain [24][25].…”