Seismic Response Modelling of a Full-Scale Masonry Barrel Vault Using Shaking Table Data

This paper presents preliminary results of numerical simulations to describe the dynamic behaviour of a full-scale masonry barrel vault subjected to shaking table tests. The experimental investigation involved imposing seismic loads with increasing amplitude at the base of the vault specimen. The dynamic response was recorded through both acceleration and displacement time histories. To describe the dynamic behavior of the vault and assess its structural performance under seismic inputs, a simplified micro-mechanical numerical model is proposed. A sensitivity analysis is carried out to investigate the influence of various parameters on the dynamic response, including vibration frequencies, vibration shapes and displacement time histories.