9/6/17 This repository contains the models, scripts, and data from the first paper on Roman bonding courses. Forthcoming paper: Understanding the function of Roman bonding courses: A numerical approach
Abstract
Bonding courses, also called leveling courses, are ubiquitous in the Roman empire. Yet, while this technique is common, there is not a clear understating of their structural function. Many works have postulated that this construction typology denotes the end of a workday or the height of one shuttering. Some works have also claimed including brick bonding courses is a structural weakness while others have qualitatively claimed it reduces crack propagation. The aim of this paper is to study the bonding courses using distinct element modeling, a numerical method used in analyzing masonry, to better understand the structural functionality of bonding courses. Distinct element modeling can simulate the structural response of the masonry walls during crack propagation and capture the evolution of failure mechanisms. Therefore, by simulating the response of bonding courses under different loading conditions, a better understanding of their structural purpose can be developed.
This repository contains the Rhino files, the 3DEC project files, the matlab scripts used for post-processing, and the writeups of the data.