C.

Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

Statics of Masonry Solids and Structures

Prof. Christian Carloni

Part VI
 C. Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

STATIC AND KINEMATIC THEOREMS

If we look at the two theorems together:

c
Is it possible that there are more than one c?
We can prove the uniqueness of the collapse multiplier.
Lets assume that we have two collapse multipliers c1 and c2
We can also assume that

c1 c2
 C. Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

STATIC AND KINEMATIC THEOREMS

However, c2 is statically admissible and if we recall the
static theorem :
c2 c1

This yields:

c1 c2
We could have proven the same equality the other way around.

It is important to note that the collapse load does not

depend on the material properties but only on the geometry
of the structure and the magnitude of the loads.
 C. Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

SETTLED STATES
We consider a masonry structure in a safe admissible
equilibrium state under the action of loads g. is the
associate stress field.
See the note in the
g,u 0 u M, next slide

Lets assume that the structures undergoes a mechanism

vs as a consequence of a settlement. So we will term that
mechanism a settlement mechanism.
We can consider the displacement field small enough that the
equilibrium will not be written in the deformed state.
Evidently, if the settlement occurs the internal stress field will
change and will be termed s.
 C. Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

SETTLED STATES
We can certainly state that:

s , 0 s , vs 0

The constraints that settled provided a reaction ir before

the settlement occurred and sr afterwards.
Note that during the settlement the structure remains in a state
of admissible equilibrium although stresses and reactions
change. We can consider the mechanisms M* that we can
activate from the settled state if we imagine this in the original
configuration (small displacement vs):

n
g,u s r,u ts , u s ,

n

0 0
 C. Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

SETTLED STATES
If u= vs :

g, vs s r, vs 0

Note that loads g will perform positive work for mechanism vs.
Whereas, sr will perform negative work for mechanism vs
since it opposes the settling.
g, vs 0
s r, vs 0
However, if we consider u M*, we must have for equilibrium
g,u 0
 C. Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

SETTLED STATES
Lets focus on
g,u 0

To fully understand the last statement we need to have clear

the scenario we are dealing with. First, note that the u we are
talking about here is not the generic one of few slides above.
This is the u we consider starting from the settled state. In
that state we imagine that the constraints that settled can
move and the ones that didnt wont move afterwards.
Second, the reactions sr do not change if we apply the
mechanism u.
 C. Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

SETTLED STATES
We can easily realize that if:
g,u 0 u M,
Then
g,u 0 u M*,
This was observed by Heyman: if the foundations of a stone
structure are liable to small movements, such movements will
never, of themselves, promote the collapse of the structure.
Further, if we consider the settled state and an increase of vs
by a factor (vs is the new displacement) the equilibrium
state wont change (i.e. s will not vary). In fact:

tsn , n vs 0 s , s 0 g, vs s r, vs 0
 C. Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

ARCHES
We should talk about minimum thrust but it is easier to
introduce arches and then go back to some (the last) general
topics.

The Human race built most nobly when limitations

were greatest and therefore when most was required
from imagination in order to build at all. Limitations
seem to always be the best friend of architecture
Frank Lloyd Wright
 C. Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

ARCHES

Corbel is the simplest and most primitive
device for spanning with masonry.
The Lion Gate was the main
entrance of the Bronze Age
citadel of Mycenae, southern
Greece. It was erected during
the 13th century BC in the
northwest side of the
acropolis.
 C. Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

ARCHES

A tholos may be
conceptualized as a
conical corbel but its
actual structural
behavior is more
complicated
 C. Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

ARCHES
When did the
modern theory of
arches start?

Leonardo Da Vinci designed a simply but effective

procedure to evaluate the thrust of the arch
 C. Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

ARCHES

In 1675 Robert Hooke stated: As hangs the flexible line, so but

inverted will stand the rigid arch. Giovanni Poleni used this
concept in the controversial discussion on the static behavior of
S. Peter in Rome.
abcccddeeeeefggiiiiiiiillmmmmnnnnnooprrsssttttttuuuuuuuux
Ut pendet continuum flexile, sic stabit contiguum rigidum inversum
 C. Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

ARCHES
Lets understand in more detail Hookes
principle. We consider an irregular
arch. Each voussoir (stone) has a
known mass. The arch can be
represented by a string supporting small
bags whose weight is proportional to
the weight of each stone.
By pulling the ends of the strings with
different values of the (horizontal) force,
an infinite number of funicular solutions
can be found for the same loading
condition.
 C. Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

ARCHES
The line of thrust is a
theoretical line that
represents the path of the
resultants of the
compressive forces through
the structure. The shape of
the string is the line of thrust
or even better a possible line
of thrust. There is an infinite
number of lines of thrust
(Statically indeterminate!).

Each individual block is

held in place by the
compressive force applied
to it from the adjacent
segments
 C. Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

ARCHES

Lets take a break to note that the shape of the bending moment is analogous to
the shape that a flexible cable would take under the same loading
 C. Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

ARCHES

Just a coincidence?
 C. Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

ARCHES

.And what about if I flip it over and I

consider a derrick with two
members in compression?.....

Why is that?....Line of thrust

 C. Carloni Mechanics of Historical Masonry Structures

ARCHES
In history masons and architects were trying to build arches
for which:
g,u 0 u M,

What does that mean in terms of line of thrust?

We can think about the static
and kinematic theorems.
If we consider the static
theorem, for example, as long
as we are able to build a line
of thrust that lies entirely
within the thickness of the
arch then the arch is safe!