Preface

The idea of a book on masonry structures arises from the privileged context in which the Associazione Edoardo Benvenuto has carried out its activities in recent years. In fact the Associazione has been able to count on the participation of scholars of international prestige to its research and editorial initiatives, under the honorary presidency of Jacques Heyman. As is well known, the topic of masonry structures is very complex and subject to multiple interpretations. In addition to historical studies, the mechanical behaviour of masonry arches and structures has been studied according to different lines of research (structural analysis, limit analysis, elastic analysis, plasticity, mathematical approaches, etc.), sometimes difficult to reconcile, sometimes intertwined with each other and complementary.