BONI C.

The bow is a simple machine now representing a paradigmatic example for demonstrating the applicability of the structural concept of flexural tensegrity, as chains of segments in unilateral contact coupled by unbonded prestressing tendons. The nonlinear and nonlocal constitutive laws for bending are dictated by the tendon prestress and,...

One dimensional discrete systems composed of a simple chain of bi-stable springs, with nearest neighbor interaction, have been used to interpret the complex equilibrium states of materials supporting multiple crystallographic phases, foldable macromolecules and biological structures. A discrete system is here proposed for bending within the...

Flexural tensegrity is a structural principle for which the integrity under flexure of a beam formed by a chain of segments in unilateral contact is provided by an unbonded prestressing tendon anchored to the end segments, with the possible interposition of linear springs and linear dashpots. These are activated by the inflexion of the beam as...

A nonlocal theory is presented for the bending in large deformations under applied loads of an initially straight rod. This has similarities with the classical Euler's elastica in the sense that the bending stiffness remains homogeneously constant, but it depends on an integral average of the entire curvature field. The discretized form of the...

Any seismic retrofitting plan on historical monuments has to follow the principles of minimal intervention, recognizability and reversibility. A feasibility study is here proposed for a new type of glass-based bracing, particularly suitable to strengthen soft storeys, typically represented by the presence of colonnades. This has the advantages...

The design of brick masonry vaults has frequently been one of the main topics of historical construction handbooks, where also the orientation of the blocks was an examined issue. However, the influence of brick-texture has not yet been thoroughly investigated computationally. In the present paper the static behavior of masonry vaults of...

The term 'flexural tensegrity' applies to beam-like structures composed of segments in unilateral contact, whose integrity under flexion is provided by tendons (cables), tensioned and later anchored at the end segments. In addition to the cable tension, the constitutive response depends upon the shape of the contact surfaces between consecutive...

The mechanical properties of nacre (mother-of-pearl), which are superior to those of its constituent materials, derive from a micro-architecture formed by the arrangement into parallel laminae of individual aragonite tiles with surface asperities, bonded by organic interlayers. A mechanical model is developed to determine how the contact...