The paper presents numerical approach for a realistic modeling of the load-bearing behavior of brittle structures such as steel-reinforced concrete (RC), RC members strengthened with carbon-reinforced concrete (CRC) and masonry. Specifically, for steeland textile-reinforced concrete members, the use of a smeared damage approach enables the calculation of crack widths, crack spacings, and the overall crack pattern. By considering both external loads and deformation-induced constraints, the results demonstrate that nonlinear models of brittle materials yield accurate predictions for concrete structures. Furthermore, the modeling of natural stone masonry arch bridges is explored, demonstrating that complex geometries of concrete-like materials can be realistically simulated. The numerical simulations are compared with real-life load tests performed on arch bridges, revealing that the models effectively re produce deformations and damage patterns with high accuracy.