Analysis of Equivalent Diaphragm Vault Structures in Masonry Construction under Horizontal Forces

In seismic areas, masonry construction is prone to brittle failures due to the mechanical behavior of the constituent materials and to the low capacity of force redistributions. The redistribution capacity is mainly due to the presence of horizontal connections upon the walls and to the stiness of the roof, which is typically a vaulted structure. The modeling of the global behavior of a masonry building, taking into account the accurate stiness of the vaults, is a major issue in seismic design and assessment. The complex geometry of the vaults can be considered as an equivalent plate, able to replicate the stiness behavior and the force redistribution capacity of the real vault. In this study, the eorts of the authors are addressed to the definition of a plate, able to replace the vaulted surfaces in a global numerical model. The ideal diaphragm is considered as a generally orthotropic plate with the same footprint and the same thickness of the original vault. An extended parametric study was conducted in which the mechanical and geometrical parameters were varied, such as the vault thickness, its dimensions, the constraint conditions, and the possible presence of side walls. The results are presented and discussed herein, with the aim of providing useful information to the researchers and practitioners involved in seismic analyses of historical masonry construction.