In plane loaded masonry walls: DEM and FEM/DEM models. A critical review

• Published in: Meccanica (Milan) Vol. 53; no. 7; pp. 1613 - 1628
• Main Authors: Baraldi, Daniele, Reccia, Emanuele, Cecchi, Antonella
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.05.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Arches; Automotive Engineering; Case studies; Civil Engineering; Classical Mechanics; Collapse; Finite element method; Masonry; Mathematical models; Mechanical Engineering; Model testing; New Trends in Mechanics of Masonry; Panels; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Rigid blocks; Rock mechanics; Sensitivity analysis; Texture; Ultimate loads; Walls; Yield criteria; Masonry structures; Mohr–Coulomb yield function; Discrete models; Discrete/finite element models; Nonlinear analysis
• ISSN: 0025-6455; 1572-9648
• DOI: 10.1007/s11012-017-0704-3

This work is dedicated to the assessment of the nonlinear behaviour of masonry panels with regular texture and subject to in-plane loads, by means of numerical pushover analysis and an analytical homogenized model. Two numerical models are considered and adopted for performing a set of numerical tests: a discrete model developed by authors and a discrete/finite element model frequently adopted in rock mechanics field and effectively extended to masonry structures. In both models the hypotheses of rigid blocks and elastic–plastic joints following a Mohr–Coulomb yield criterion are adopted. The aim of this work is twofold: (1) a comparison and a calibration of the numerical models, evaluating their effectiveness in determining ultimate loads and collapse mechanisms of masonry panels, by assuming a nonlinear homogenized model for regular masonry as reference solution; (2) the evaluation of sensitivity of masonry behaviour and numerical models to panel dimension ratio and to varying masonry texture. In a first case study, sliding collapse mechanisms changing to overturning collapse mechanisms for increasing panel and block height-to-width ratio are obtained and the results given by the numerical models turn out to be in good agreement. Furthermore, a second case study, dedicated to square panels supported at base ends and vertically loaded, shows different ‘arch mechanisms’ depending on block height-to-width ratio.