Quasi-analytical homogenization approach for the non-linear analysis of in-plane loaded masonry panels

• Published in: Construction & building materials Vol. 146; pp. 723 - 743
• Main Authors: Milani, Gabriele, Bertolesi, Elisa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 15.08.2017; Elsevier B.V
• Subjects: Analysis; Compatible model of homogenization; Holonomic non-linear model; In-plane loads; Masonry; Masonry walls; Mechanical properties; Mortar; Semi-analytical approach; Stresses (Materials); Italy; Semi-analytical approach; Masonry; In-plane loads; Compatible model of homogenization; Holonomic non-linear model
• ISSN: 0950-0618; 1879-0526
• DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.04.008

•Quasi analytical holonomic homogenization model for masonry in-plane loaded.•Subdivision of the elementary cell into elastic triangles (bricks) and non-linear interfaces (mortar).•Comprehensive validation at a cell level in the elastic and inelastic range.•Double structural implementation: nested multi-scale FE2 and rigid body and spring model RBSM.•Validation of a windowed shear wall against experimental data and previous numerical models. A simple holonomic compatible homogenization approach for the non-linear analysis of masonry walls in-plane loaded is presented. The elementary cell (REV) is discretized with 24 triangular elastic constant stress elements (bricks) and non-linear interfaces (mortar). A holonomic behavior with softening is assumed for mortar joints. It is shown how the mechanical problem in the unit cell is characterized by very few displacement variables and how the homogenized stress-strain behaviour can be evaluated semi-analytically. At a structural level, it is therefore not necessary to solve a FE homogenization problem at each load step in each Gauss point. Non-linear structural analyses are carried out on a windowed shear wall, for which experimental and numerical data are available in the literature, with the aim of showing how quite reliable results may be obtained with a limited computational effort.