Numerical and experimental analysis of the shear capacity of interconnected concrete block walls

Abstract

Abstractredicting the behavior of interconnected masonry walls is a challenging issue, given the influence of a wide range of factors, such as the mechanical properties of the materials (blocks and mortar) and the way the walls are connected to each other. In this paper, experimental results in H-shaped walls subjected to shear at the vertical interface are introduced with a numerical representation. Concrete blocks and two types of connections (running bond and U-steel anchors) were considered in the tests. Computational modelling was carried out using the Diana ® FEM software to complete the study and understand the structural behavior of the masonry panels. The influence of the bonding pattern on the experimental and numerical response was studied and good agreement between the results was found. Moreover, the numerical analysis showed that the computer models of the interconnected walls adequately represented the behavior of the physical models regarding load capacity and cracking patterns. Resumo Prever o comportamento de paredes de alvenaria interligadas é um problema difícil, dada a influência de diversos fatores, tais como as propriedades mecânicas dos materiais (blocos e argamassa) e a forma como as paredes são ligadas uma à outra. Neste artigo os resultados experimentais de paredes em formato H submetidas ao cisalhamento na interface vertical são introduzidos com uma interpretação numérica. Blocos de concreto e dois tipos de amarrações (direta e indireta com grampos) foram considerados nos ensaios. A modelagem

A Discussion about the Rod Position in the Splitting Tensile Tests on Hollow Concrete Blocks

“…The block has a compressive strength of 11.62 MPa over the net area (see Table 1), and the geometrical properties of the sampled two-core HCB are shown in Figure 2. Experimental reports of the splitting tensile strength of HCB by other studies [17,[21][22][23][24][25] are also discussed here.…”

“…Hence, the tensile strength has been determined over the gross area (Figure 1a) in the following investigations [21][22][23] and over the net area (Figure 1b) in the references [17,27]. In other studies, the load is applied over the gross area, and then the tensile strength is computed over the gross and net areas [24,25], obtaining two values for the splitting strength for the same loading position. It is known that the tensile strength of the HCB controls the behavior of a masonry wall before the first diagonal cracking occurs under lateral loads.…”

“…Apply the load over the gross area (Figure 4a), but use the net area to obtain the splitting strength f t S (g−n)x as in reference [24,25].…”

Numerical and parametric study of the yield stress limits of reinforcement bars in clay block masonry structures

“…Some researchers adopted micro-modeling approaches to study masonry as they represent its comp lex behavior very well. Mortar and two unit-mortar interfaces are lumped into a zero-thickness joint (modeled using an interface element) between expanded masonry units [2], [14], [15].…”