Structural Behaviour of Model Masonry Shells

According to the recent teaching reform at ETH Zurich, students are strongly encouraged to participate in experimental research. Within the scope of a research project on the structural behaviour of unreinforced masonry shells a load test on a conoid-type shell made of model clay bricks and thin layer mortar was performed at ETH’s Institute of Structural Engineering.

The results of the load test were analysed and allow a number of conclusions to be drawn:

• Curved unreinforced masonry structures, such as the tested shell are capable of resisting a considerable load by compressive membrane action.
• A simple structural model was successfully applied to analyse the structural behaviour of unreinforced masonry conoid-type shell subjected to (quasi) uniformly distributed load. This model divides the shell into two parts, i.e. the back part acting as a plate in bending and the front part carrying the load through arching action.
• Future research on unreinforced masonry shells should concentrate on large-scale, if possible full-scale tests. Furthermore, an effort should be made to find optimum shapes for unreinforced masonry shells. Finally, the numerical modelling of masonry deserves more study.