NUMERICAL-ANALYSIS OF FACE-SHELL BEDDED HOLLOW MASONRY WALLS SUBJECT TO CONCENTRATED LOADS

A nonlinear elastoplastic finite element model has been developed for face-shell bedded hollow masonry walls subject to in-plane concentrate d loads. The model takes into account geometric and material nonlinear ities as well as damage due to progressive cracking. Behaviour of the masonry components subject to compressive states of stress is modelled using the theory of plasticity, and cracking is modelled using both d iscrete and smeared cracking approaches. The model is generated on a S UN SPARC 10/31 workstation using the preprocessor of the finite elemen t program ANSYS; the finite element solution is obtained using the ABA QUS program on the Fujitsu VPX 240/10 and IBM RS/6000 workstation. A b rief summary of the numerical modelling and the iterative procedures i s discussed. Results from simulated tests of seven-course high wallett es subject to concentrated loads are used to verify the behaviour of t he numerical analyses. The methodology, when combined with substructur ing, allows analysis of substantially larger walls than would more typ ical 3-D analyses. The model can be used to check existing design rule s and develop more rational design methods for hollow masonry subject to concentrated load.