A constitutive equation for fiber-reinforced masonry arches

A numerical model for analyzing fiber-reinforced masonry arches is presented. It is based on a constitutive equation formulated for one-dimensional masonry elements, assumed to be made of a non-linear elastic material with no resistance to tension and limited compressive strength. The reinforcement, which is instead assumed to have no resistance to compression and limited tensile strength, is applied on the inner and/or outer side of the arch. In order to capture any possible FRP debonding, a procedure is then developed to predict the values of the tangential and normal interactions between the masonry and the fiber. The model, implemented into a FEM computer code, allows for short computational times in studying reinforced masonry arches with any geometries, restraints and loading conditions. Preliminary comparisons with experimental results are carried out to verify the effectiveness and accuracy of the model’s predictions.