Masonry arch bridges form a vital part of the UK railway and highway infrastructures. These bridges typically contain soil backfill, which contributes significantly to their overall load-carrying capacity. There is a long history of masonry arch bridge research at Sheffield in collaboration with the Structures and CMD research groups. The work aims to improve understanding of:

• soil-arch interaction in masonry arch bridges

• static and cyclic loading regimes

• effects of flooding

• arch bridge resilience to damage and capacity of distorted arches

This carried out through both physical modelling and numerical modelling. Current EPSRC funded work is developing a new understanding of 3D interactions and a multi-level assessment approach for Masonry Arches, via physical and numerical modelling. Research carried out at Sheffield has led to the development of the commercial software LimitState:RING for the analysis of arch bridge stability.

Key Publications

Augusthus-Nelson L, Swift GM, Smith CC, Gilbert M & Melbourne C (2018) Influence of railway loading on the performance of soil-filled masonry arch bridges. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Bridge Engineering, 1-36. View this article in WRRO

Callaway P, Gilbert M & Smith CC (2012) Influence of backfill on the capacity of masonry arch bridges. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers: Bridge Engineering, 165(3), 147-157. View this article in WRRO

Gilbert M, Smith CC & Pritchard TJ (2010) Masonry arch analysis using discontinuity layout optimisation. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Engineering and Computational Mechanics, 163(3), 155-166.

Hulet KM, Smith CC & Gilbert M (2006) Load-carrying capacity of flooded masonry arch bridges. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Bridge Engineering, 159, 97-103.

Smith CC (2006) Geotechnical testing for assessment of masonry arch bridges In McKibbins LD (Ed.), Masonry Arch Bridges: Condition Appraisal and Remedial Treatment, CIRIA