Seismic behavior of circular segmental masonry arch considering tensile strength of joints.

Masonry arch structures are one of the oldest forms of construction of human civilization. These types of structures have been used since ancient times, and many old arch structures still stand without any major damage. The performance of masonry arch structures under static and dynamic loads is an active field of research, as these structures have architectural and cultural significance. The failure modes of the masonry arch depend on various factors like the type and shape of the arch, boundary conditions, presence of cohesion, etc. The behavior of the mortar-bonded arch can vary from the dry-jointed arches. This is due to the effect of tensile strength present at the joints. This is particularly true for arches with smaller spans and where the mortar is present or where cohesive materials are used. The present study is an attempt to understand the behavior of mortar-bonded masonry arch structures under static and dynamic loads. An experimental model of a masonry arch cast with small-scaled bricks was tested on the shake table under earthquake loads. A numerical model of the small-scale masonry arch was also developed in Abaqus and calibrated as per the experimental outcomes of the tests. Non-contact measurements were also performed in the present study during the shake table testing with the help of basic tools like a smartphone camera and video processing methods in MATLAB. The experiments and FE analysis showed that the mortar-bonded arch showed significantly more strength than the no-tension voussoir arch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]