Further refinement of the Corbelling Theory for the equilibrium analysis of corbelled domes

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present a further development of the Corbelling Theory [1] for assessing the structural safety of “false domes” constructions like Trulli, and more generally for corbelled domes. In particular, it is well-known that a corbelled dome of a Trullo is a layered thick shell and that only the thin inner layer (candela) has a structural role. The proposed procedure extends the capabilities of the approach proposed in [2] to more general load conditions, including the infill. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is discussed through the analysis of a paradigmatic case study of a Trullo located in Alberobello. Since the geometry of the construction plays a fundamental role in the structural behavior, the starting point of the analysis was an accurate 3D-laser scanner survey of the dome. The obtained results give some interesting insights about the role of the infill load on the equilibrium of such kind of corbelled domes.

Keywords

• corbelled vaults
• historic constructions
• equilibrium analysis
• corbelling theory