Identification of critical mechanical parameters for advanced analysis of masonry arch bridges
Author(s)
Tubaldi, Enrico
Macorini, Lorenzo
Izzuddin, Bassam
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The response up to collapse of masonry arch bridges is very complex and affected by many uncertainties. In general, accurate response predictions can be achieved using sophisticated numerical descriptions, requiring a significant number of parameters that need to be properly characterised. This study focuses on the sensitivity of the behaviour of masonry arch bridges with respect to a wide range of mechanical parameters considered within a detailed modelling approach. The aim is to investigate the effect of constitutive parameters variations on the stiffness and ultimate load capacity under vertical loading. First, advanced numerical models of masonry arches and of a masonry arch bridge are developed, where a mesoscale approach describes the actual texture of masonry. Subsequently, a surrogate kriging metamodel is constructed to replace the accurate but computationally expensive numerical descriptions, and global sensitivity analysis is performed to identify the mechanical parameters affecting the most the stiffness and load capacity. Uncertainty propagation is then performed on the surrogate models to estimate the probabilistic distribution of the response parameters of interest. The results provide useful information for risk assessment and management purposes, and shed light on the parameters that control the bridge behaviour and require an accurate characterisation in terms of uncertainty.
Date Acceptance
2019-05-06
Citation
Structure and Infrastructure Engineering, 16 (2), pp.328-345
ISSN
1573-2479
Publisher
Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
Start Page
328
End Page
345
Journal / Book Title
Structure and Infrastructure Engineering
Volume
16
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Structure and Infrastructure Engineering on 05 Sep 2019, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/15732479.2019.1655071
Sponsor
Commission of the European Communities
Grant Number
657007
Subjects
Science & Technology
Technology
Engineering, Civil
Engineering, Mechanical
Engineering
Global sensitivity analysis
masonry arch bridges
Kriging
local sensitivity analysis
uncertainty propagation
random variables
BRICK-MASONRY
SENSITIVITY-ANALYSIS
LIMIT ANALYSIS
APPROXIMATION
STRENGTH
SAFETY
Civil Engineering
0905 Civil Engineering
Publication Status
Published online
Date Publish Online
2019-09-05