INTERFACE MODEL FOR THE NONLINEAR ANALYSIS OF BLOCKY STRUCTURES OF ANCIENT GREEK TEMPLES

The presence of singularity surfaces with reference to the displacement field is a characteristic of a number of structural systems. Strong discontinuities are present in old masonry structures where dry joints connect the blocks or the mortar ageing suggests to neglect the adhesion properties. These structures cannot be considered a continuum but rather an assembly of blocks. These discontinuous structures could be modelled as an assembly of blocks interacting trough frictional joints whose mechanical behaviour is described by appropriate interface laws. In the present work an interface model present in literature is adopted, the double asperity model, which has been implemented in a standard finite element code with the principal aim to develop structural analysis of old monumental masonry structures. The interface model is briefly illustrated and the numerical implementation of the interface laws is described in detail. Numerical examples are presented to simulate the behaviour of a couple of greek temples of Agrigento Italy. These old monumental structures, IV-VI sec. BC, are inserted in the world heritage list by Unesco.