Three-dimensional limit analysis of ancient masonry buildings with rigid block models

Abstract

Limit analysis with rigid block models is a tool successfully used in recent years for the assessment of ancient masonry structural elements and small buildings. In this paper, the interface yield functions for three-dimensional models are defined at interpolation points, instead of using the generalised stresses approach. This approach leads to very simple expressions for the yield functions and flow rules and therefore, renders the mathematical programming problem easier to solve than the generalised stresses formulation. The solution for the limit analysis problem is obtained using the load-path following approach. The validation of the present proposal shows good agreement compared with non-linear finite element results.