Simulação numérica não-linear do comportamento estrutural de edificações históricas em alvenaria

Abstract

Historic masonry buildings constitute a significant part of the world’s architectural heritage and require specialized preservation approaches due to the complexity of their structural behavior. Masonry is a heterogeneous, anisotropic, and nonlinear material, whose mechanical response is predominantly influenced by crack formation and degradation at the interfaces between its constituents. This study aims to numerically investigate the nonlinear structural behavior of historic masonry structures using the Concrete Damage Plasticity (CDP) constitutive model implemented in ABAQUS®, based on the Finite Element Method (FEM). Initially, the CDP model was calibrated under plane stress conditions using experimental data from the literature. A dilation angle of 30° was identified as the most suitable for this type of structure. The calibrated model was then applied to the numerical simulation of the Torre degli Sciri, located in the historic center of Perugia, Italy. The dynamic properties of the tower were characterized through operational modal analysis using accelerometers, in collaboration with the University of Perugia. The numerical model was validated by comparing simulated and experimental vibration modes, successfully identifying the tower’s first seven modal shapes. The results were satisfactory and demonstrate that the CDP model is a reliable and effective approach for representing the nonlinear behavior of historic masonry buildings.