ArchLab: a MATLAB tool for the Thrust Line Analysis of masonry arches

Abstract

According to Heyman’s safe theorem of the limit analysis of masonry structures, the safety of masonry arches can be verified by finding at least one line of thrust entirely laying within the masonry and in equilibrium with external loads. If such a solution does exist, two extreme configurations of the thrust line can be determined, respectively referred to as solutions of minimum and maximum thrust.

Keywords

• thrust line
• limit analysis
• masonry arch