82 research outputs found
Masonry structures built with fictile tubules: Experimental and numerical analyses
No full textMasonry structures with fictile tubules were a distinctive building technique of the Mediterranean area. This technique dates back to Roman and early Christian times, used to build vaulted constructions and domes with various geometrical forms by virtue of their modular structure. In the present work, experimental tests were carried out to identify the mechanical properties of hollow clay fictile tubules and a possible reinforcing technique for existing buildings employing such elements. The experimental results were then validated by devising and analyzing numerical models with the FE software Abaqus, also aimed at investigating the structural behavior of an arch via linear and nonlinear static analyses
Fictile tubules: A traditional Mediterranean construction technique for masonry vaulted systems
No full textThe historical centres of many Italian cities are integral parts of the Country's cultural heritage, and guaranteeing their conservation over time is paramount. Many constructions are characterised by building techniques that are not well-known and still have to be studied. In particular, one technique involving the use of clay fictile tubules is here examined through historical studies, experimental characterisation and numerical investigations. This technique is typical of the Mediterranean area and Southern Italy, and dates back to Roman and early Christian times; three different types of elements were usually employed (tubules, amphorae and caroselli). Walls, domes and vaulted structures with different geometries were built with this technique, which allowed for the creation of modular construction elements in potteries. Relevant historical building issues are first addressed in detail, then a comprehensive experimental investigation on the constitutive materials (caroselli and mortar) is presented, provided with a series of numerical simulations aimed at validating the experimental results. Eventually, the composite material consisting of caroselli and mortar is investigated through a homogenisation approach, allowing its mechanical characterisation through the evaluation of equivalent homogenised material properties. They are derived through the investigation of an analytical elementary cell, subject to uniaxial tension and compression, which enables to derive homogenised constitutive laws. These are validated by comparing experimental data obtained from compressive tests performed on three real elementary cells with numerical results gathered from the use of such homogenised properties on an equivalent cell
On the Behavior of Fictile Tubules Masonry in Mediterranean Seismic Areas: Application on Masonry Arch
No full textThe historic centers of many Italian cities are integral parts of the Country’s cultural heritage, and guaranteeing their conservation over time is paramount. Many constructions are characterized by building techniques which are not well-known and still have to be studied. In particular, one technique employing clay fictile tubules is here scrutinized through historical studies, experimental characterization, and numerical investigations. This technique is typical of the Mediterranean area and Southern Italy, and dates back to Roman and early Christian times. Walls, domes and vaulted structures with different geometries were built with such technique, which allowed for the creation of modular construction elements in potteries. Relevant historical building issues are first addressed in detail, then a comprehensive experimental investigation on constituent materials is presented, with a numerical data fitting useful for structural purposes. Finally, the results of nonlinear static analyses performed on a masonry arch are described. Full 3D heterogeneous properties and a homogenized approach exhibiting softening in tension and compression were used in such analyses
Post-Cracking FRCM Strengthening of an Arch Composed by Hollow Clay Elements Embedded in Mortar: Experimental Investigations and Numerical Analyses
No full textThe use of hollow clay elements (fictile tubules, amphorae and caroselli) for erecting arches, vaults and domes was a building technique very popular in the Mediterranean area from the Roman Empire on. It was devised to ensure lightness and thermal insulation of structural elements. This paper presents experimental investigations and some preliminary numerical analyses regarding an arch consisting of caroselli embedded in mortar. A full-scale laboratory model was constructed and subject to vertical loads. After the development of hinges, the arch was repaired and strengthened with FRCM strips and further loads were applied to investigate the post-strengthening mechanical behavior. Also, numerical models of caroselli and mortar are created in Abaqus. Then, an elementary cell comprised of caroselli and mortar is created. The mechanical properties of the cell are evaluated by studying its behavior under uniaxial tensile and compressive loads. These properties set the basis for a possible homogenized material which can be used for numerical analyses of the arch
A seismic analysis for masonry constructions: The different schematization methods of masonry walls
No full textTerritoriality and Renewable Resources. Sustainable Innovation Strategies for Circular Design
No full textExperimental and Numerical Analysis of Historical Aseismic Construction System
No full textTimber frames have been used in masonry buildings since a very early age to enhance their seismic performance. Several construction techniques have been conceived over the centuries for this purpose; among them, the so-called casa baraccata is relatively unknown and yet relevant as it has been employed since the 17th century in Calabria, a region in Southern Italy historically characterized by frequent and powerful seismic sequences. After a particularly devastating earthquake nearly destroyed the two cities of Reggio Calabria and Messina in late December 1908, Calabrian engineer Pasquale Frezza patented an anti-seismic construction technique that further improved the casa baraccata by embedding fictile tubules in its masonry walls. Those are hollow clay bricks, employed since the Roman Empire in buildings all around the Mediterranean Sea, that allow for a reduction of participating mass of the structure, hence helping its resistance to dynamic loads. This paper investigates the seismic effectiveness of the construction technique patented by Frezza. First, a diagonal compressive test is carried out on a specimen wall built according to Frezza’s recommendations, with the aim of evaluating its shear strength. Then, a numerical analysis is performed in the commercial FE software Abaqus to simulate the experimental test and validate its results. The shear strength measured from the experimental test is higher than the usual values for ordinary and historical masonry walls, and the numerical results are able to grasp the overall behavior of the wall as resulting from the diagonal compressive test
Traditional masonry arches and domes with fictile tubules in mediterranean seismic areas: Advanced numerical models and experimentation
No full textArchaeological discoveries made all over the Mediterranean area - highly prone to earthquakes - have highlighted the use of fictile tubules for the building of walls and domes in thermal baths and masonry kilns since the Roman Empire. Fictile tubules are cylindrical clay bricks with a hollow conformation that ensures lightness and provides thermal insulation for the structural element. This well serves the purposes of thermae and kilns, since heat dispersion affects their functionality. Fictile tubules were usually either embedded in mortar or assembled with a female-male coupling system. This paper investigates the behavior of structural elements employing such technology via experimental tests and numerical analyses. First, tubules and mortar are considered separately. The behavior of each element is investigated by performing compressive and three-point bending tests to define their mechanical properties. These are inserted into existing material models in the 3D FE software Abaqus. They are then calibrated in order to match the experimental tests. Second, the mechanical behavior of an elementary cell composed of tubules embedded in mortar is investigated. Tensile and compressive numerical tests are performed via Abaqus to derive the mechanical behavior of this homogenized material. Finally, linear and nonlinear static analyses are performed on an arch through the exploitation of the new homogenized material
Mechanical performanceof naturalfiber-reinforced composites for the strengthening of ancient masonry
No full textDottorato di Ricerca in" Materials and Structure Engineering" Ciclo XXVI, a.a.2010-2013Università della Calabri
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