Seismic Response of Masonry Arches Reinforced by Tie-Rods: Static Tests on a Scale Model

This article presents an experimental study on the seismic behavior of arch-pier systems reinforced with tie-rods. In particular, the role of the tie-rod stiffness is stressed, with the aim of proposing innovative tie-rods characterized by lower stiffness than traditional ones. The experimental campaign was performed by adopting the inclined plane static test on a 1:10 scaled model. It is demonstrated that prestress applied to tie-rods barely influences the seismic capacity of the system. Moreover, it is shown that larger tie-rod deformability induces larger displacement capacity at collapse. Finally, a comparison between experimental results and simple analytical models based on rigid block systems shows the fundamental role of overall system deformability on the seismic response.

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