The Pennsylvania State University

ABSTRACT

The presentation will report on a finite element modeling procedure for masonry arch bridges. Previous research efforts in the assessment of masonry arch bridges have concentrated on the strength of the arch in the span direction. However, experience with these structures indicates that masonry arch bridges more often fail by sliding or overturning of the spandrel walls perpendicular to the roadway centerline, or by the development of longitudinal cracks in the arch barrel and eventual separation of the spandrels from the remainder of the arch barrel. After an introduction to the basic elements and behaviors of a masonry arch bridge, the details of the nonlinear, three-dimensional, finite element model are presented. Then, the results of in situ tests on arch bridges are used to validate the results of the model.