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 con- ditions, 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 rst analysed comparatively under static loading, de ning the optimal con gurations. Numerical results are veri ed 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 rst-order seismic be- havior of arches and buttressed arches with di erent 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 nally performed for varying input parameters, as needed to gain more con dence on the numerical results.