ABSTRACT
This chapter explores a novel methodology for the automatic recognition of joints between voussoirs in masonry arches using laser scanning data. Historic masonry arch bridges are heritage structures that have been subjected to different loading conditions along time. In some situations, those loads might jeopardize the integrity of the structure, provoking signs of instability such as cracks or permanent deformations in key structural elements such as the arches. Using the center of the arch as reference points, the position of each pixel belonging to masonry is given inpolar coordinates. A real masonry bridge located in Kakodiki village, in Crete Island, Greece is considered for the development of the proposed inverse analysis approach.
