Title: Limit analysis based interactive tool for bidimensional studies of complex masonry

Authors: Paul Nougayrede; Thierry Ciblac; François Guéna

Addresses: GSA Laboratory, Architecture school Paris Malaquais, Paris, France ' GSA Laboratory, Architecture school Paris Malaquais, Paris, France ' MAP MAACC Laboratory, Architecture school Paris La Villette, Paris, France

Abstract: In a context of growing interest about historic masonry buildings, there is an identified need for a simple and efficient approach for stability studies. An adaptative tool, LITHFI, has been developed as a plugin of Rhinoceros software to interactively analyse the stability of complex bidimensional masonry structures with rectilinear joints. Using the theoretical framework of limit analysis under Jacques Heyman hypothesis with the static theorem and interactive lines of thrust search methods, the main goal is to take into account the diversity of multiple cases and different kinds of needs (various complexity of geometries, topologies and loading, hinges positioning, search for extreme thrusts domains). The algorithmic architecture of the tool and the possible uses in actual case studies are also presented.

Keywords: structural masonry; limit analysis; yield design theory; lower bound theorem; line of thrust; numerical modelling; interactivity; multi-agents programming; genetic algorithm.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMRI.2022.119860

International Journal of Masonry Research and Innovation, 2022 Vol.7 No.1/2, pp.3 - 31

Received: 15 Jun 2020
Accepted: 23 Dec 2020
Published online: 22 Dec 2021 *

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