Fracture analysis of marbles before and after restoration. Integrating analytical, experimental, and numerical models

A significant challenge in structural analysis of materials lies in the profound impact that cracks can have on local stress distributions. This alteration often renders traditional elastic stress evaluation insufficient for accurately predicting materials’ behaviour. While standard mechanics of elastic-body assumes a uniform response to applied stress, the reality is often characterised by the presence of pre-existing micro and macro cracks, where stress tends to accumulate unevenly. This phenomenon is particularly evident in natural materials such as stone, where heterogeneity and grain size can facilitate micro-crack formation. Emphasis is placed on the structural elements within historical and archaeological contexts due to their era and inaccessibility. This calls for the development of advanced methodologies that integrate non-destructive techniques with mechanical testing under laboratory conditions, alongside numerical modelling simulations. This thesis presents an innovative approach towards the study of cracks in ancient marble elements before and after restoration. Main goal of the research is to qualify and quantify the fracture parameters of marbles, as well as complex marble/adhesive interfaces often found in cultural heritage environments. The adapted methodology is based on theoretical and experimental mechanisms, including complex analytical methods for the analysis of mixed mode loading of elements and numerical methods for the simulation of structural response.