Numerical Study of Discrete Masonry Structures under Static and Dynamic Loading

Much of the world's architectural heritage consists of Unreinforced Masonry (URM) structures whose preservation is a topical subject. To prevent possible collapse of multi-block systems in hazardous conditions, a promising tool to investigate their structural response is represented by numerical modelling with the Discrete Element Method (DEM). Gothic buttresses of trapezoidal and stepped shapes are first analysed comparatively under static loading, defining the optimal configurations. Numerical results are verified against the analytical predictions of overturning and sliding resistances, based on a continuum approximation of masonry. The DEM is then successfully adopted to assess the first-order seismic behavior of arches and buttressed arches with different shapes as compared to predictions based on limit analysis. A systematic investigation on dynamic behavior failure domains and on modes of collapse of URM structures is finally performed for varying input parameters, as needed to gain more confidence on the numerical results.