PSI - Issue 78

Antonella Ranaldo et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 78 (2026) 552–559

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Table 1. Masonry mechanical properties of Saint Fransis of Assisi and Jesus Resurrection Churches.

Saint Fransis of Assisi Church

Jesus Resurrection Church Brick masonry properties

Calcarenite stone masonry properties Concrete smeared crack Isotropic

Model type

Concrete smeared crack Isotropic

r Density (kg/m 3 )

1800 2256 902.4

1800 2350 940 0.25 2.35 0.235 3.760 0.007

E Normal elastic modulus (N/mm 2 ) G Tangential elastic modulus (N/mm 2 )

v Poisson’s ratio

0.25 3.84

f c Compressive strength (N/mm 2 )

f t Tensile strength (N/mm 2 )

0.384 6.144 0.011

G c Compressive fracture energy (N/mm) G f Tensile fracture energy (N/mm)

h Mesh size (mm)

300

300

Fig. 6 to Fig. 11 report the preliminary NLPAs obtained. In particular, the lateral façade local simple overturning for Saint Fransis of Assisi Church and Jesus Resurrection Church is reported in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, respectively. While, the in-plane failure mechanism of the triumphal arch is analyzed for the two churches in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9. Each figure depicts the push-over curve in terms of base total shear vs. displacement of a control node, and the crack status corresponding to the base total shear peak. In addition, a further investigation is carried out considering the lateral walls interaction with the triumphal arch, in order to compare the non-linear response with the one obtained if the triumphal arch is assumed as isolated. These results are illustrated in Fig. 10 for Saint Fransis of Assisi Church and in Fig. 11 for Jesus Resurrection Church. As far as the lateral façade simple overturning is concerned, a horizontal crack pattern forming on the wall internal side is obtained for both churches. This crack status is compatible with the simple overturning imposed involving a base fixed constraints even if, in the case of Saint Fransis of Assisi Church, it is not evenly distributed along the wall base. This may be due to the different geometry (and thus the load) of vaults connected to the wall. For Saint Fransis of Assisi Church, the base total shear peak for lateral façade overturning is 192.59 kN, occurring at a drift value of 0.11% (Fig. 6). Whereas, in the case of Jesus Resurrection Church, for the same failure mechanism the base total shear peak is equal to 132.52 kN, corresponding to a drift of 0.03% (Fig. 7). As for the failure mechanism of the triumphal arch, if it is assumed as isolated, the base total shear peak is 244.26 kN with a drift value equal to 0.10% for Saint Francis of Assisi Church (Fig. 8) and equal to 87.39 kN, occurring at a drift value of 0.02% for Jesus Resurrection Church (Fig. 9). However, the failure response mechanism in the two churches occurs in a different manner. In the case of Saint Francis of Assisi Church cracks develop at the columns base and at the arch springing (Fig. 8), thus forming three lumped hinges. While, for Jesus Resurrection Church, the lack of a wall above the arch permits the development of widespread cracks also on the arch, thus obtaining multiple hinges in the in-plane failure mechanism (Fig. 9). If lateral walls interaction is taken into account, the triumphal arch macro-element becomes stiffer, offering a base total shear peak considerably higher with respect to the isolated condition. Precisely, the peak base total shear is equal to 843.09 kN occurring at a drift value of 0.09% for Saint Francis of Assisi Church (Fig. 10) and equal to 214.91 kN with a drift value equal to 0.12% for Resurrection Church (Fig. 11). Starting from the obtained results, one may observe that in the case of lateral façade simple overturning the failure mechanism is almost similar in the two churches investigated, even if in the case of Saint Francis of Assisi Church, a not uniform crack pattern is obtained, likely due to the different vaults geometry along the wall top. While in the case of the triumphal arch the in-plane failure mechanism is different due to the presence/absence of the wall at top of the arch. This element, if present, strengthens the arch, permitting the crack development only at the arch springing. Finally, the presence of lateral walls plays a crucial role in both churches increasing the macro-elements stiffness and the base total shear peak. Specifically, for Saint Francis of Assisi Church, it increases 3.5 times with respect to the isolates arch one, while for Jesus Resurrection Church, the obtained increment is equal to 2.5 times.