Automated Detailing and Stability Analysis of Under-Construction Masonry Vaults
Publication: Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 24, Issue 3
Abstract
This paper presents a new parametric framework to analyze the constructability of masonry vaults in the early design phase. The most important part of this constructability analysis is estimating the structural stability of a vault during construction when the vault should stand without any formwork in a self-supporting way. This framework provides a set of generative identifier and analyzer algorithms that generate the detailed model of the vault, identify the unusual construction conditions, and analyze the stability of the vault, respectively. Based on the obtained feedback, the designer can modify the initial parameter values by which a vault is generated. To analyze the stability of an under-construction vault, the algorithms can generate models at different stages of construction and can also calculate the material properties of fresh mortar, which change during construction. These tasks are done by identically considering the sequence and timing of the virtual positioning of bricks and real bricklaying.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to show their gratitude to Dr. Claudia Casapulla, the Aggregate/Assistant Professor in Structural Engineering at the Dept. of Structures for Engineering and Architecture, University of Naples Federico II, Italy, for sharing her pearls of wisdom during the course of this research. The initial phase of this research was done as part of the corresponding author’s Ph.D. project, which was funded by the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology of Iran. The second phase of the research did not receive any specific grants from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
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Published In
Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 24 • Issue 3 • September 2018
Copyright
© 2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 17, 2017
Accepted: Jan 3, 2018
Published online: May 11, 2018
Published in print: Sep 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Oct 11, 2018
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