Title: Finite element thrust line analysis of axisymmetric masonry domes

Authors: Mahesh N. Varma; Siddhartha Ghosh

Addresses: Nandadeep Designers and Valuers Pvt. Ltd., Aurangabad 431001, India ' Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India

Abstract: A new method for analysis of axisymmetric masonry domes is proposed here combining the simplicity of the thrust line with the versatility of the finite element approach, where a modified axisymmetric element incorporates the hoop tension effects. This method is able to obtain the thrust line of an axisymmetric masonry dome more accurately than the existing graphical approaches. The case study on a hemispherical axisymmetric dome shows the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results reaffirm the notions of classical thrust line analysis and postulates on the minimum thickness of a stable dome.

Keywords: axisymmetric domes; finite element method; FEM; masonry domes; stability; thrust line analysis; hoop tension effects; minimum thickness; masonry thickness; dome thickness.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMRI.2016.074739

International Journal of Masonry Research and Innovation, 2016 Vol.1 No.1, pp.59 - 73

Received: 15 Aug 2015
Accepted: 09 Oct 2015
Published online: 16 Feb 2016 *

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