Analysis of Existing Masonry Arch Bridges using Finite Elements

Many of our oldest bridges – now subjected to traffic unimaginable to the original constructors – are masonry arches. Large and small, they collectively form a very significant part of the highway and railway networks, keeping our communities connected, whilst also being admired and enjoyed, in their own right, by people the world over.

Managing these vital transport links is therefore of great importance, and an understanding of the structural behaviour, together with an assessment of the load-carrying capacity, is fundamental to the process of identifying structures which require strengthening and planning suitable interventions. A sustainable approach for such infrastructure management requires engineers to draw deeply on the available intellectual resources to avoid unnecessary work or, worse, unplanned closures or collapses.

This paper explores the application of FE methods to analysis of masonry bridges, with emphasis on structural understanding and issues including soil-structure interaction. Issues of idealisation, material parameters and nonlinear behaviours are considered in the context of practical project work, highlighting the key considerations.