The Application of the Finite Element Method to the Study of Cracking in Masonry Arch Bridges

Abstract

In this paper, the behaviour of masonry arch bridges is examined using the finite element method and the results are compared with experimental data from recently conducted large scale testing of brick arch bridges. The no-tension characteristic and the non-linear stress- strain relationship of the arch materials is considered. Both one dimensional tapered beam elements and two dimensional elements are used to model the arch. In the 1-d analysis, the depths of the tapered beam elements are varied to represent the depths of the arch ring as radial cracks develop and crushing of the material due to high compressive stress occurs in the arch ring. For the 2-d analysis, nodal separation of the elements is used to represent both radial cracking of the arch ring and also tangential cracking which causes separation of the arch ring in multi-layered brick arch bridges. Reasonable agreement between the two methods and experimental data is achieved.