ABSTRACT
This chapter presents one experiment of physical pushover carried out on a scale-down model masonry bridges. Masonry bridges in seismic zone have received a wide research effort, due to the complexity of evaluating the real capacity of very non-linear heterogeneous structural systems, and the need of a safe infrastructural system after major earthquakes. The piers and the bridge sections inside the face walls contain the weak filling material that is connected with the external masonry shell by means of key bricks emerging from the arches. The mortar used for the bonding of the reinforcement to the masonry surface was obtained by mixing 400 g of Portland cement with 1200 g of quartzite sand and 78 g of both silica fume and superplasticizer additive. Once the external masonry faces were strengthened with carbon bars of 13 mm2 net area, the cracking of the external face was prevented by the reinforcement.
