History

INTRODUCTION

The "Science of Building" is defined such as the science that study the structural answer of bodies in front of external actions.

These structural answers are subdivided in two type:

• Internal stresses;
• External reactions (between structure and soil).

We classify the structures according to the structural typology in which they are defined. With "Structural typology" we mean a body constituted with not defined number of structural elements, connected together by internal constraints. In this way we can subdivide for instance the "Reticular structures" (connected by hinges) from "Frame structures" (connected by interlocking).

When a structure can't  counter the external actions occurs the structural collapse, this can happen in three different ways:

• Plastic collapse (Yield): It occurs in different zones of structure in localized way. Is typical in ductile structures;
• Brittle collapse: It happens in localized way but the damage zone can extend to all structure. Is typical in Brittle structures;
• Instability of equilibrium (Buckling): It occurs before yield or brittle collapse and is typical of slender structures.

HISTORY