ANALYTICAL INVESTIGATIONS ON THE BEHAVIOR OF MASONRY WALLS UNDER LATERAL MONOTONIC LOAD

In this article the authors propose an analytical model which gives se parate consideration to the elements making up masonry: mortar and the building units. With software based on the finite element method it i s possible to analyse the non-linear behaviour of masonry walls in a r einforced concrete frame, subjected to in-plane monotonic loads. The m odel reproduces the infill failure mechanisms, the slip along the join ts, the crushing of material and diagonal cracking. Simplified criteri a are proposed to evaluate the strength of unrestrained walls and also interaction diagrams to assess the ultimate behaviour of restricted w alls. The analysis reveals that the best performance is shown by walls where failure occurs through frictional mechanisms, with predominance of horizontal cracking.