Parametric Analysis of Masonry Walls: Effect of Geometry, Brick Properties, and Loading Conditions on their Structural Response

Abstract

This research is based on numerical analyses to assess the level of damage by examining the formation and propagation of cracks, block fragmentation, and material degradation before failure. To this end, numerical simulations are carried out using ABAQUS, a software based on the finite element method, to study the mechanical response of unreinforced brick masonry walls subjected to cyclic and monotonic lateral loads. A parametric study is conducted to analyze the influence of the mechanical properties of the bricks, the wall geometry (including thickness and height-to-width ratio), and the variation of vertical load on the wall response. The results show that wall geometry and vertical pre-compression significantly affect the wall strength, while the influence of material mechanical properties is relatively minor.