Analysis of a masonry viaduct of Parc Güell in Barcelona by funicular modeling

Abstract

Park Güell is one of the most visited and characteristic monuments in the city of Barcelona designed by the modernist architect Antoni Gaudi. Park Güell was designed as a real estate project but due to economic reasons the project failed and opened as a public park in 1922. The main purpose of the thesis is the analysis of the stability of the lower viaduct of the three main viaducts of the Park Güell that can be found at the south-east side of the park. Since the lower viaduct is a masonry structure it is important the presentation of all the methods used historically for the analysis of the stability of historic masonry structures. Among them the method of graphic statics and the method of funicular analysis are applied for the calculation of the thrust line of the structure in order to investigate its stability. The general information regarding the historic and artistic significance of Park Güell is important in order to understand the significance of the whole structure where the viaduct is contained. Also reporting the architectural arrangement of the viaduct, its structural characteristics and its materials is necessary for a deeper understanding of the function of the structure before its stability analysis. Also a previous structural study by BIS architects offers conclusions on the structural capacity of the viaduct. The three-dimensional model of the structure in AutoCAD 3D allows the better understanding of the geometry of the structure and uses for the application of the graphic statics method. The graphic statics method is applied in two dimensions and is taking into account all the loads applied on the structure in order to investigate its stability. The results of the graphic statics method is the thrust line of the viaduct that must fit inside the limits of the geometry of the structure in order to consider that the structure is stable according to safe theorem. The application of the funicular analysis with the MASONRISK application of program GID for a characteristic part of the viaduct is another method for the investigation of the stability of the viaduct. The objective of the method is to create a catenary net that its deformed shape due to its loading is contained within the limits of the structure in order to prove that the structure is stable according to safe theorem. The solution obtained is a three dimensional catenary network. Finally some general conclusions regarding the two methods are made presenting their advantages and disadvantages for the analysis of the stability of historic masonry structures and also some recommendations for the improvement of the methods.