ABSTRACT

This chapter considers how the perceptions can exist in tandem, and how both are accurate, by considering various problems within the context of settlement damage to masonry. Settlement damage to masonry structures has posed a challenge to engineers for centuries. Historic masonry structures are often perceived to be vulnerable to differential settlement, which can lead to visible cracking and uncertainty about structural safety. Settlement effects on masonry structures are first considered from a collapse perspective. Masonry arch bridges and underground vaulted masonry arcades, are examples of prolific structures for which analytical methods are less obvious. The problem of settlement damage to masonry presents different challenges depending on the application. The potential causes of settlement are numerous, including: soil deformation due to the mass of the structure alone, changes in the water table, adjacent construction, increased loading, and material degradation. Differential settlement also occurs in the form of leaning towers, or towers sinking with respect to connected structures.