CONSTRUCTION PHASES ANALYSIS OF UNREINFORCED MASONRY BUILDINGS THROUGH EQUIVALENT FRAME MODEL

Structural analysis of masonry buildings is affected by many uncertainties and characterized by issues related to the very nature of the material. In this scenario, refined analysis methodologies are confined to the research environment, while professional applications need simpler methodologies, which allow for a better understanding of the analysis results: the equivalent frame model is one of these methodologies. However, the method is affected by some issues, which, if not adequately addressed, may lead to unrealistic stress distributions. In this work, we propose a procedure that increases the reliability of the analysis results. It consists in the modification of the model depending on the nature of the acting loads in relation to the different construction phases of the structure. In addition, an extension of the method for the analysis of buildings constructed in different periods is introduced. Finally, the results of the analysis performed for a case study are presented in order to validate the proposed methods.