NAZIR, SHAHID1; DHANASEKAR, MANICKA2

1) PhD student, School of Civil Engineering and Built Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Australia, Shahid.nazir@student.qut.edua.au

2) Professor, School of Civil Engineering and Built Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Australia,

m.dhanasekar@qut,edu.au

This paper deals with a finite element modelling method for thin layer mortared masonry systems. In this method, the mortar layers including the interfaces are represented using a zero thickness interface elements and the masonry units are modelled using an elasto-plastic, solid element. The interface element is formulated using two regimes; i) shear-tension and ii) shear-compression. In the shear-tension regime, the failure of joint is considered through an eliptical failure criteria and in shear-compression it is considered through Mohr Coulomb type failure criterion. An explicit integration scheme is used in an implicit finite element framework for the formulation of the interface element. The model is calibrated with an experimental dataset from thin layer mortared masonry prism subjected to uniaxial compression, a triplet subjected to shear loads, a beam subjected to flexural loads and used to predict the response of thin layer mortared masonry wallettes under orthotropic loading. The model is found to simulate the behaviour of a thin layer mortared masonry shear wall tested under pre-compression and inplane shear quite adequately. The model is shown to reproduce the failure of masonry panels under uniform biaxial state of stresses.

Keywords: Cohesive interface element; finite element model; thin layer mortared masonry; orthotropic behaviour, shear walls.