Structural safety assessment and strengthening methods for masonry towers

This paper focuses on masonry towers, a broad term encompassing various types of tall masonry structures. Their structural analysis remains an underexplored area in the literature, and consequently, is inadequately addressed by codes, standards, and guidelines. Similarly, the topic of strengthening...

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Main Author: Paolo Foraboschi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Case Studies in Construction Materials
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214509525004565
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author Paolo Foraboschi
author_facet Paolo Foraboschi
author_sort Paolo Foraboschi
collection DOAJ
description This paper focuses on masonry towers, a broad term encompassing various types of tall masonry structures. Their structural analysis remains an underexplored area in the literature, and consequently, is inadequately addressed by codes, standards, and guidelines. Similarly, the topic of strengthening masonry towers has received limited attention.Unlike masonry buildings, where load-carrying capacity is primarily governed by equilibrium – making external loads and their points of application the dominant factors, while masonry compressive strength and maximum acting stresses play a secondary role – the capacity of masonry towers is typically determined by compressive strength. This makes the properties of the masonry material, along with the maximum acting stresses, critical, while kinematic mechanisms play a lesser role. Existing literature and standards, however, predominantly address masonry buildings, neglecting masonry structures where material properties govern load-carrying capacity. This paper aims to bridge these gaps by drawing on the author’s research and professional experience, including the presentation of several case studies. The findings and advancements presented are intended to contribute not only to academic research but also to professional practice.
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spelling doaj-art-700bc9be5e3c48b296531fe38e137bae2025-08-20T02:31:20ZengElsevierCase Studies in Construction Materials2214-50952025-07-0122e0465810.1016/j.cscm.2025.e04658Structural safety assessment and strengthening methods for masonry towersPaolo Foraboschi0Dipartimento di Culture del Progetto, Dorsoduro 2206, Venice 30123, ItalyThis paper focuses on masonry towers, a broad term encompassing various types of tall masonry structures. Their structural analysis remains an underexplored area in the literature, and consequently, is inadequately addressed by codes, standards, and guidelines. Similarly, the topic of strengthening masonry towers has received limited attention.Unlike masonry buildings, where load-carrying capacity is primarily governed by equilibrium – making external loads and their points of application the dominant factors, while masonry compressive strength and maximum acting stresses play a secondary role – the capacity of masonry towers is typically determined by compressive strength. This makes the properties of the masonry material, along with the maximum acting stresses, critical, while kinematic mechanisms play a lesser role. Existing literature and standards, however, predominantly address masonry buildings, neglecting masonry structures where material properties govern load-carrying capacity. This paper aims to bridge these gaps by drawing on the author’s research and professional experience, including the presentation of several case studies. The findings and advancements presented are intended to contribute not only to academic research but also to professional practice.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214509525004565Bell towersCohesive masonryCompressed masonryInterlocked masonryStrengthening assessmentTransverse compression
spellingShingle Paolo Foraboschi
Structural safety assessment and strengthening methods for masonry towers
Case Studies in Construction Materials
Bell towers
Cohesive masonry
Compressed masonry
Interlocked masonry
Strengthening assessment
Transverse compression
title Structural safety assessment and strengthening methods for masonry towers
title_full Structural safety assessment and strengthening methods for masonry towers
title_fullStr Structural safety assessment and strengthening methods for masonry towers
title_full_unstemmed Structural safety assessment and strengthening methods for masonry towers
title_short Structural safety assessment and strengthening methods for masonry towers
title_sort structural safety assessment and strengthening methods for masonry towers
topic Bell towers
Cohesive masonry
Compressed masonry
Interlocked masonry
Strengthening assessment
Transverse compression
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214509525004565
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