Performance of Calcarenite Masonry Barrel Vaults: Experimental Investigation and DIC Informed Refined Numerical Simulation

The present study investigates the behavior of calcarenite masonry barrel vaults, which are widespread in Sicily’s and Mediterranean historical built heritage. A half-scaled masonry barrel vault specimen was constructed and tested to its ultimate capacity under a non-symmetrical vertical load condition. The vault’s performance was monitored in terms of resistance and deformation at key points. The onset and evolution of damage were mapped using Digital Image Correlation (DIC). A refined Finite Element (FE) model of the specimen was developed using the OpenSees/STKO software platform. The model was initially used to predict the experimental response before testing and subsequently recalibrated for post-diction after that the test was performed. The results demonstrate that DIC-informed FE model updating enables high-fidelity simulations offering a deeper understanding of the structural behavior.