Preliminary Assessment of a Composite Historical Masonry Column Subjected to Concentrated Loads

The paper presents a numerical model for the nonlinear analysis of a historical composite masonry column subjected to concentrated loads. The aim in general is to explore the behavior of pillars that, over the centuries, have undergone significant modification and damage. To do so a concrete damage plasticity model is used within a commercial finite element software to model with 3D Finite Elements a masonry column belonging to the Ferrara Cathedral, Italy. In such a specific case the column is constituted by a medieval pillar, then enveloped and integrated with an eighteenth-century jacketing column built in adherence. Two different models are presented. Model 1 consists of a linear elastic analysis with friction at the interface between the two columns. Model 2 uses rigid plates to better distribute the concentrated loads coming from arches and vaults and an elasto-plastic material for the two columns. Through a detailed analysis of such a complex structure, it is tried to establish which approach is the most suitable to create a satisfactory mechanical model that approximates better the actual behavior.