A non-linear FE model for the collapse behaviour of masonry domes: the case study of the dome of Anime Sante in L’Aquila

This contribution describes non-linear finite element analyses conducted to investigate the collapse behavior of the ogival dome with oculus and lantern of the Anime Sante church in L’Aquila, Italy. This dome, damaged significantly by a catastrophic earthquake in 2009, has been the focus of numerous studies on its structural behavior. The non-linear model utilized in this study, developed usingAbaqus CAE software, aims to provide additional insights into the structural response, particularly focusing on the masonry that constitutes the dome. For this purpose, the dome is discretized into blocks and mortar joints. The mechanical behaviour of the mortar is described by means of a concrete damage plasticity model, with failure assumed to occur primarily at the interfaces between blocks. The preliminary analyses presented in this work consider gravitational loads, with an increasing vertical displacement applied at the crown to determine the collapse load. The resulting deformed shape of the dome and the location of plastic hinges are determined, alongside the study of collapse load through load-displacement diagrams. Furthermore, the results obtained from the finite element approach are compared with those derived from limit analysis methods. Specifically, novel versions of two classical approaches, grounded in the theoretical principles of lower and upper bound theorems, are referenced to assess the collapse load considering the strength ofmasonry. This comparative analysis serves to validate the numerical method employed in this study, enhancing confidence in the obtained results.