Masonry Structures: Between Mechanics and Architecture

The book aims to provide an overview of the state of the art on the mechanics of arches and masonry structures. It is addressed to an international audience, arising from the international context in which the Associazione Edoardo Benvenuto has carried out its activities in recent years, under the honorary presidency of Jacques Heyman. As is well known, the topic of masonry structures is very complex and subject to multiple interpretations. In addition to historical studies, the mechanical behaviour of masonry arches and structures has been studied according to different lines of research (structural analysis, limit analysis, elastic analysis, plasticity, mathematical approaches, etc.), sometimes difficult to reconcile, sometimes intertwined with each other and complementary. Although we are aware that it is not possible to include in a single book the diversity of the studies on masonry structures, we have tried to represent the main approaches in order to make it easier for the reader to compare and evaluate their significance and interest.