  The paper presents an effective macro-modelling approach, utilising an
anisotropic material model with embedded discontinuities, for masonry arches
and bridges under cyclic loading, including dynamic actions induced by
earthquakes. Realistic numerical simulations of masonry arch bridges under
static and dynamic loading require accurate models representing the
anionotropic nature of masonry and material nonlinearity due to opening and
closure of tensile cracks and shear sliding along mortar joints. The proposed
3D modelling approach allows for masonry bond via simple calibration, and
enables the representation of tensile cracking, crushing and shear damage in
the brickwork. A two-scale representation is adopted, where 3D continuum
elements at the structural scale are linked to embedded nonlinear interfaces
representing the meso-structure of the material. The potential and accuracy of
the proposed approach are shown in numerical examples and comparisons against
physical experiments on masonry arches and bridges under static and dynamic
loading.
