CONTINUUM MODEL FOR MASONRY - PARAMETER-ESTIMATION AND VALIDATION

A novel yield criterion that includes different strengths along each m aterial axis is presented. The criterion includes two different fractu re energies in tension and two different fracture energies in compress ion. The ability of the model to represent the inelastic behavior of o rthotropic materials is shown, and a set of experimental tests to char acterize the constitutive behavior of masonry is proposed. The capabil ity of the model to reproduce the strength behavior of different mason ry types is demonstrated through a comparison with available experimen tal data in masonry panels subjected to uniform biaxial loading condit ions. Finally, the model is validated against experimental results on masonry shear walls and good agreement is found. A clear understanding of the behavior of masonry sheer walls, and the nonlinear phenomena i nvolved in its collapse, is presented with the help of a detailed comp arison between numerical and experimental results.