Unreinforced Masonry Materials Under Axial Compression or Four-Point Flexure. Laboratory Measurements and Numerical Simulations

Abstract

A number of unreinforced masonry walls of prototype dimensions were built at the laboratory of Strength of Materials and Structures of Aristotle University using prototype masonry units together with mortars having such a composition that can be characterized as low strength mortars. The in-plane and out-of-plane behaviour of such structural elements is of considerable interest as existing structures include this type of structural components. During the construction of these piers samples of the mortars used in the construction were taken. After a curing period these samples were subjected to two distinct tests, namely axial compression and four-point bending. Similarly, from the basic material of the masonry units, either clay or natural stone, prismatic specimens were formed which were also subjected to either axial compression or four point flexure. Next, a number of numerical simulations were performed utilizing all the information of the geometry and material characteristics of the mortar or masonry material specimens in order to replicate numerically the axial compression and four point flexure tests which were performed in the laboratory. The numerically simulated behavior resembles the measured brittle load-deformation response and the observed actual damage at the end of the tests. Using back analysis procedures a reasonable correlation can also be achieved between the measured value of the ultimate load and the corresponding value predicted by this type of numerical simulation. 345 COMPDYN 2019 7 th ECCOMAS Thematic Conference on Computational Methods in Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering M. Papadrakakis, M. Fragiadakis (eds.

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