Dynamic Analysis of Irregular Stone Masonry Walls with Rigid Block Models

Abstract eng:
Rigid block models, based on the discrete element method, have proved a valuable tool in the analysis of historical masonry structures under seismic loading. They allow the representation of the failure mechanisms of stone masonry, involving block sliding and overturning, and are computationally efficient. The representation of the irregular stone patterns found in traditional masonry walls with 3D discrete element models has been approached in a previous paper [1], in which the seismic capacity of the walls was assessed by means of pushover analysis techniques. In the proposed paper, the seismic behavior is simulated with dynamic analyses, using the explicit time stepping algorithms typical of discrete element codes. Comparisons of the new results with the static analysis methods are presented and discussed, for various types of regular and irregular block assemblies. The selection of the type of discrete element representation is also addressed, comparing the use of rigid and deformable block formulations, in terms of modeling accuracy and computational efficiency, which is critical in the study of large structures. The influence of the joint constitutive models and properties on seismic capacity is also analyzed, namely considering the usual shortage of experimental information. The importance of using simple but effective assumptions in practical calculations is stressed by parametric analysis results. References [1] José V. Lemos, A. Campos Costa and E. M. Bretas, “Assessment of the Seismic Capacity of Stone Masonry Walls with Block Models”, Compdyn-2009.

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