Effective properties of masonry structures and macro-model analysis with experimental verification

Abstract

Masonry structures are the most prevalent type of buildings worldwide, and a significant portion are situated in seismic-prone areas. Thus, detailed information regarding their seismic strength and vulnerability is needed. The complexity of studying masonry structures lies in defining accurate and efficient models for representing masonry walls. In this context, there is a need for simplified methods that allow the modeling of masonry walls within a 3D structure. This work presents a methodology to define effective masonry properties from numerical analyses on representative volumes, using a damage model informed by experimental tests on units and mortar. These effective material properties serve as input parameters to model masonry walls within a macro-model approach, aiming to accurately capture the in-plane behavior and damage mechanisms with limited computational cost. The methodology is verified with experimental results and applied to real case studies in Cuenca, Ecuador.