Abstract
Abstract. The experimental campaign represents an example of how the careful design of the different test phases and the choice of the needed instrumentation are fundamental aspects to obtain a proper interpretation of the results, for future application on the real structures. Additionally, the present work represents a successful example of a combined monitoring system, integrating the traditional and innovative technical instrumentation for loading tests and geomatics survey techniques. The monitoring system has been designed with the aim of defining the load carrying capacity of a masonry arch bridge scaled model and to test the performances of a new retrofitting method. In particular, two different configuration have been considered: a first one with isolated arch and a second one with gravel fill on the arch.
Highlights
In many scientific fields, the experimental tests on reduced scale models are fundamental to understand the physical and mechanical phenomena and to simulate the behavior of a prototype
The experimental campaign is a clear example of how the careful design of the different test phases, the choice of the needed instrumentation and the integration between different technologies to fill the mutual gaps are fundamental to obtain a proper interpretation of the results
The positions of Linear Variable Differential Transformers (LVDTs) are depicted as blue arrows, the pressure cells along the extrados are represented in red, and the black springs on the right side are the constraints, representing the lateral support deformability
Summary
The experimental tests on reduced scale models are fundamental to understand the physical and mechanical phenomena and to simulate the behavior of a prototype. This approach is convenient when the real scale simulation is not possible or it requires high costs. In order to obtain congruent results with the prototypes, it is crucial to examine the magnitudes that describe the physical phenomenon In this context, the dimensional analysis is a key instrument to simplify the problem, reducing the number of variables. The experimental campaign is a clear example of how the careful design of the different test phases, the choice of the needed instrumentation and the integration between different technologies to fill the mutual gaps are fundamental to obtain a proper interpretation of the results
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